


Testing Time to Get Me By

by Jibbly



Series: liberty bell aus [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Bucky Barnes, Slow Burn, Sugar Daddy, Surrogacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:05:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 56,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jibbly/pseuds/Jibbly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dude I was with tonight said that his boss was thinking about getting a surrogate. Maybe you should do that"   <br/>He froze as he registered her words</p><p> </p><p>---------<br/>Or, where Bucky is an omega on his way out of a bad marriage and decides to become a surrogate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nerdoftheworld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdoftheworld/gifts).



> Tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Bucky threw back his second shot of whiskey, throat burning and throbbing headache starting to form in the back of his neck.        

"You sure, you don't wanna ease up on that, Barnes?" The redhead to his right said with a grin stretching across her full lips.       

Fiddling with the bottle in his hands, he threw her a smirk and poured himself another shot. "No. I think I'm perfectly fine at the pace I'm going at right now. Thank you very much." His glass sat full on the counter of the bar, Bucky making no moves to grab it though. Natasha noticed the way the brunette's hand was slightly trembling in a fist, but made no comment on it. Instead, she put her elbow on the wood of the bar to rest her head on her hand. She made sure her voice was steady, no trace of the worry she was feeling slipping out. "So, what did you invite me out to drinks to my favorite bar for? If you're the only one who's going to drink?"       

When she had walked into the door, having received a text from Bucky earlier that day for some drinks, she saw that her friend was already at the bar nursing his first shot of liquor. To say that alarms had gone off in her head, was kind of an understatement.       

Bucky sighed and leaned back in his chair, so that his back was pressed into the stool back. He mumbled some words while running his hands over his face, Nat not catching any one word.      

"You're going to have to say that again, so I can actually hear what you're saying."      

Bucky opened his fingers, so that his eyes were peeking out from in between them. "Brock and I are getting a divorce."       

Natasha's eyes widened and she whistled low, grabbing the bottle of whiskey from Bucky. "Well, shit."      

Bucky let out a bark of laughter, removing his hands from his face and settling his arms on the counter. "What, no 'I told you so?' Come on, Nat. I know you want to say it."      

Natasha tilted her head to the side, keeping her eyes on the shot that she was pouring for herself. It's true, she did want to say 'i told you so'. "I don't know what you're talking about, I only ever wished love and happiness for you when you got married."      

Bucky scoffed and took the bottle back from her when her glass was full and she threw it back. "Yeah, okay. I totally believe you, Nat."       

She let the burn of the alcohol slide down her throat, before turning to look at her friend. Her and Bucky had known each other since their freshman year in college, where he had gotten sick at a party and she had watched over his stupid, drunk body.       

She also remembers when she met Brock, Bucky had been all smiles under the guy's arm. Natasha instantly hated him.       

They had been going out for about two years, dating, moving in together, then finally Brock proposed to Bucky. Bucky had come to her door at three in the morning glowing like the damn sun had crawled up his ass, excited to tell her the news. She remembers how she had spit out her water when he had told her. Bucky had noticed her foul mood, and had stormed out of her apartment saying that if she couldn't be happy for them, then she should keep it to herself.       

That had hurt her. Real bad.       

It wasn't that she hadn't been happy that her best friend was getting married. It was who he was getting married to.       

Brock was your typical alpha. Tall, strong, and had a quick temper. But it was that he was controlling. She noticed early on when the two had started dating. How Brock would always stand in front of Bucky. How he would end up ordering for them at restaurants. How the longer they had gone out, the more Bucky had become introverted, and almost always had to ask Brock for permission to do anything. He had never said it out loud, or at least where she could hear it, but he was treating Bucky like he was some omega from the dark ages. And it pissed her off.      

She tried to get Bucky to break it off with Rumlow as much as she could, but the day before the wedding, she had realized that nothing she said was going to get through to her friend. Not while Brock was with him. So they made peace, and she was reinvited to the wedding by a tearful Bucky.       

She didn't actually remember much of that day, since she spent the majority of it getting as wasted as possible. To try and not think about how much she hated Rumlow.      

Now here they were, three years later with Bucky looking like hell dropped in to visit him.       

She wanted to say 'i told you', but she also wished that she hadn't been right in the first place.      

Bucky was looking at the wall, now. Eyes glazed and seeming to be miles away.       

"What happened?"      

He didn't even look at her, but his fingers messed around with the gold band around his finger.       

"I caught him cheating."      

"What?" Natasha was actually pretty shocked by that. Brock was an asshole, but trying to imagine anyone cheating on Bucky was pretty fucking hard to do. She was his best friend, but she wasn't fucking blind. Plus, she's a damn alpha too. She knows a gorgeous omega when she sees one. "With who?"      

"Rollins."      

She turned away from him. "What the fuck? Rollins, are you serious? Isn't he a beta?"      

Bucky nodded, and finally looked at her. The look in his eyes broke her heart. "I walked in on them. went right into the bedroom while they were banging on my bed. And you know what Brock said? 'What? At least it's not another omega.' "         

Natasha was going to shoot that mother fucker in the dick, next time she saw him.        

"He said that I should go. Me! I fucking live there! But I had to leave, because I was being difficult? We started yelling, and he called me a 'fucking whiney omega bitch'." He grabbed his shot glass and raised it to his lips, eyes looking back at the wall. "that he should have never even married someone who couldn't even think beyond getting a knot" He drank his shot and let out a loud 'ah' as it burned down his throat.       

Fuck shooting him in the dick, she was going to burn off his whole damn body.      

Pouring himself another shot, he started to laugh humorlessly. "That's not even the best part. Remember how Brock made me sign a prenup? Well, since we are now officially filing for divorce I am fucking broke as shit."      

'fucking hell' was all that was racing through Natasha's mind. Brock comes from a wealthy family, old money. Bucky hadn't wanted anything in the prenup, thinking that he was with Brock for the long haul. Brock had taken care of most of the financial handling in their marriage, even told Bucky to quit his job because he was 'gonna take care of his omega'. Now all this was coming back to bite Bucky in the ass. She sighed loudly and ran her hand through her hair. That means that Bucky has absolutely nothing.       

She straightened up and looked back at the brunette, a thought striking her.       

"Where are you staying?"      

There was another sad smile on his lips as he answered without looking at her.       

"In the guest room of our apartment until the papers get finalized. Then, I'll have to find somewhere else, because he's going to kick me out."      

She was livid. 'That fucking alpha prick'      

"You can't stay there with that fucking asshole, James." She knew that he preferred to be called Bucky, but when she used his first name, he knew she was serious.      

He held his glass in his hand, still full from his last pouring. "Where am I supposed to go, Nat. I'm lucky he's even letting stay there in the first place."      

She didn't even have to think twice about it.       

"Stay with me. You know I got an extra room in my apartment."       

The omega looked into her eyes, his were glassy, red ,and puffy as if he had been crying for the last couple of days. He gave her a smile and looked down. "Thank you, Nat. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."      

"Probably get kidnapped by aliens or something dumb." She laughed and reached her hand out so that she rested her hand on his elbow. "I'm always here for you, James. I always will be."      

The glassiness of his eyes intensified until it seemed like he was going to start crying here at the bar. He covered his opposite hand over hers, his grip warm and  shaky . "Damn, why couldn't I have fallen for you instead huh?" He said the last part with a smile, but it just broke her heart all the more.       

"What am I going to do, Nat? About money, I mean. You know that omegas rarely get work, and I have all my damn student loans to pay off now."     

She quickly rubbed her knuckle over her nose and squeezed his arm. "We'll figure it out. You'll get back on your feet. I know you will, because I'll be with you every step of the way."      

Bucky smiled, still tight with worry and tension, but a real smile none the less.       

She took his shot and drank it herself, slamming it on the table with a grin. "Okay, now. You spend the night at my place tonight, and tomorrow when I get off work, I'll come help you get your stuff out of that fucking prick's apartment. Deal?"      

"Deal."      

================================================================      

      

Steve sighed and loosened his tie as the clock across his office read five, signaling the end of the work day for him. The meeting that he had gotten out of with Fury had been rough, and he was looking forward to going home. He leaned back in his chair and looked out his window, seeing the    nearby    buildings. His intercom went off, his assistant's voice filling the quiet office. "Steve, I got a visitor for you."       

Rubbing a hand over his face, he pressed the speaker to reply to Sam. "You can't be serious. It's five already, and I'm already getting ready to head home."      

The intercom went off again, but there was a bit of shuffling before another voice was speaking. "Um, excuse me. But I think that you are being a bit rude, Rogers. "      

A smirk spread across Steve's face as he recognized Tony's voice. "Let him in, Sam."      

A few seconds later, Tony strode into the room like it was his. Sam's annoyed voice was just behind him. "You can head home already, Sam. After I talk to Tony, I'm going home." Steve said with a smile and wave. The beta grinned and nodded, before leaving the other two alone in the office.       

Steve leaned back in his chair, smiling up at the dark haired omega. "I must say, for someone who just had a baby a month ago, you look fantastic."     

Tony grinned and fake flipped his hair. "Well you know, some of us are just born gorgeous. And considering her parents, I have to say that my kid is going to be worshiped as a goddess."      

Steve laughed and stood up to hug Tony, the office's been too quiet this past month without the brunette.       

"So, how's Pepper?"      

Tony's face always lit up when talking about his alpha. "She's been doting on me day and night!"      

"And the baby?"      

"I am her baby."      

Steve scoffed. "You certainly act like it."      

"Rude." Tony crossed his arms over his chest, and met the alpha's eyes. "And speaking of rude, why haven't you stopped by to visit us? I might just have to look for a new best friend if this continues, Rogers" They both grinned, as Steve started to get his belongings to leave the office. "Well, Tony. My partner had a baby, so I have been a little busier than usual." Tony opened the door while him and Steve walked out of it, heading for the elevator. "What a slacker! You should fire him"      

"Nah." Steve said with a smile, as the doors slid open and they stepped through.       

Tony    laughed    a slapped a hand on the alpha's back. "Well, Pepper told me to come over here    and    invite you to dinner. Said not to take no for an answer. So in short, I'm here to kidnap you!"       

Steve smiled and the doors of the elevator opened up to the lobby. "You bring a car?" Tony turned and took out his phone, texting Pepper that they were on their way. "My driver's waiting at the front, so we can just go together."      

"Okay, I'll tell my driver that he has the rest of the day off."      

Once they walked out of the door, Tony's assistant  was waiting for them. Happy smiled as he spotted Steve and Tony. Steve returned the gesture while Tony patted the beta on the back. Steve rarely talked to the beta, but he knew that he was extremely loyal and dedicated to his job and to Tony and Pepper.      

They drove in relative silence, Tony typing away on his phone while Steve looked out the window. The drive taking a little longer than fifteen minutes because of the traffic.      

Once they got to Tony and Pepper's apartment building, Happy let them out in the front while he drove the car to the garage. Steve actually lived in the apartment two buildings away, so he was already planning on walking home after dinner. They walked inside, and made their way to the elevator. Tony actually owned this building, because he spent his free time invested in real estate. He had once offered an apartment to Steve free of charge, but the alpha had declined. Joking that he already spent too much time with the omega. And that pepper might get jealous.       

Tony had laughed at that, knowing that no one could ever be better than his beautiful ginger alpha.      

They pressed the button in the elevator for the penthouse, when Steve remembered something.       

"Hey,  I don't even know you're daughter's name."      

Tony laughed. "Some best friend you are. Her name's Marie, by the way." The omega smiled softly, thinking about his how his two best girls were waiting for him upstairs.      

The elevator finally reached the top floor, and Steve and Tony were greeted by the delicious smell of cooking food. Walking into the apartment, Steve saw that baby Marie was sleeping quietly in a rocker, bundled warmly in fluffy pink blankets, as Pepper and Maria were cleaning up in the kitchen.      

When the other alpha spotted Steve, a smile spread out across her face. "Steve, nice to see Tony actually did what I told him for once." She wiped her hands, before walking over to the blonde and giving him a hug.       

Steve looked over at Hill, seeing that the dark haired beta nodded at him in greeting, before returning to cleaning. She was Pepper's assistant.      

Tony had walked over to Marie, and was cooing at her sleeping face. "Tony, please don't wake her. She just fell asleep."      

The brunette nodded and walked over to Pepper and gave her a kiss on the cheek.      

Steve smiled at the two, they were his best friends including Sam, and he felt happy for them. He looked over at Marie, while Tony and Pepper talked. A little tinge of longing hit him in the chest when he looked at her. His thoughts getting foggy with memories, before he snapped himself out of it.      

"So, what's for dinner?"      

Pepper smiled and walked back into the kitchen to point out what was what, completely having missed the look that had been on Steve's face.       

"Maria helped me with the lasagna, vegan of course" Steve smiled at the redhead, while Tony pouted. Steve and Pepper were vegans, and Tony was mostly vegan by association. "We also made several side dishes, and some non-vegan dishes for you, babe."       

Tony raised up his hands in rejoice. "Thank god."      

Pepper smiled and the timer for the oven dinged. "Everything's ready, just need to let that cool off"  Maria moved to switch off the oven. "We can start setting up the table. When Tony moved to take out the plates from the cabinet, the clang they made woke Marie from her sleep and she was starting to make small whimpering sounds of distress.       

"Oh, man. She's waking up. Could you guys set up while I get her back to sleep?"       

Steve raised his hand to stop her. "Nah, I got her. You look like you could take a break from baby duty ." Steve smiled, while Pepper gave him a grateful smile. "Plus, it'll take a couple of minutes for everything to be ready right?" He kneeled down so he could gather the wiggling baby in his arms , rearranging her blanket so that it cocooned her.       

"Yeah, let me go around and get you a bottle. " Maria reached into the diaper bag that was on the counter and took out the bottle, shaking it and then handing it over to Steve.       

Steve took it gratefully and arranged her so that he could start feeding her with his other hand. She made a couple of faces, eyes opening one at a time, before she finally latched onto the bottle. Her little gulping sounds made Steve smile, and he walked over to the living room to sit on the couch. Her eyes were still trying to focus, but she eventually had the both of them open. Her eyes still a little gray, the way baby's eyes were the first couple of months, as she looked up at the alpha drinking away.      

That longing feeling was back, lodged in his chest, as she started to slowly drift off into sleep.       

After a while, the shaking stopped, and she fell back asleep. Steve gently removed the bottle, and set it down on the coffee table in front of him. He leaned back on the sofa, his eyes never leaving Marie.      

He didn't know how long he spent like that, but he hadn't even heard Tony approach him. Only when the omega spoke, did he even know he was next to him. "The table's set, already." Tony's voice was strangely gently as he knelt down to take Marie from the blonde. Steve stood up and was going to head for the dining room, when Tony spoke again. Quiet enough for only the two of them to hear.       

"You know, Steve. You don't have to have a mate to have a baby."       

The alpha felt his blood freeze for a second, he turned around so that he was looking at Tony in the eyes. Meeting nothing but seriousness in the brown of his friend's eyes. "There are always other options. Adoption." Tony looked down at Marie in his arms. "Surrogacy."       

"Tony..." Steve wanted to be upset at Tony for bringing this up, but he couldn't deny the longing he had for a family.       

"What happened wasn't your fault, and even though it wasn't the way you would have wanted it. You could still have it. If you give it some thought."      

Bright brown eyes, and smiling red lips flashed in his head before he turned away from the omega. Headed towards the dining room, while Tony followed a couple seconds later.      

Maria had left some time after setting up the table, Pepper giving her the rest of the day off.      

The food was delicious, and Steve tried to smile and keep up the conversation as much as he could, but his thoughts were still with what Tony had said in the living room. Pepper was happily talking about how well the business was doing, and how profits were on an upward percentage. Steve nodded and contributed as much as he could. Tony had been oddly quiet during dinner, sipping his sprite and looking at the blonde from the corner of his eye.      

It was late when dinner was finished, Pepper offering to let him stay over, but he declined. He said goodnight and left in the elevator after helping wash the dishes.      

Pepper stood in the hallway with her arms crossed and a frown on her face as she saw the doors to the elevator close.      

Tony came up behind her, giving her a kiss on her shoulder. "Million for your thoughts?"      

She laughed and turned towards her omega, seeing that he was carrying Marie. "That's not how that saying goes."      

Tony smiled. "Your thoughts, my love. Are worth millions"      

She smiled, but it fell as she remembered Steve. "Do you think it was okay asking him to come over and see Marie? He seemed pretty lost in thought. It might have brought up some memories."      

Tony looked over her. Shoulder to the closed elevator, and thought about the things he had said to Steve.       

"I just think he has a lot on his mind."      

===================================================      

It had been a week since Steve had eaten dinner over at Tony and Pepper's apartment, and the advice Tony had given him, however unwanted, was still running through his head.       

Today was Sunday, and his day off. He had spent the whole day at the gym, and right now, he was hooking up another punching bag. He was at it for a few minutes, till a whistle broke his concentration.      

"Does it owe you money?"      

Steve turned to see Sam leaning on the doorway, and smirking at him.       

Steve huffed out a laugh, and took a step away from the bag, flexing his bruised knuckles. An action that wasn't missed by Sam.       

The beta pushed off the wall, and walked towards the blonde, going for an air of casual. "So I talked with Clint, and he told me you've been here since eight."      

Steve started unwrapping his hand, trying not to look at Sam in the eye. "Felt like getting a workout   ."      

Sam didn't look convinced in the slightest. "Kind noticed you've been out of it at work all week too. Is everything alright? Are you alright" He said the last part carefully, paying close attention to Steve's face.       

"For the most part, I guess."       

Sam looked like he was going to say something, but Steve cut him off.       

"You just get here?"      

"No, been on the treadmill for an hour. Trying to. work on my cardio"       

The blonde smirked, and turned to the other. "Feel like getting a drink?"      

He tilted his head to the side, smiling at the alpha. "I could drink, if someone bought them for me."      

Steve unhooked the bag and put it back in the equipment closet. "Well, I've been told I buy some pretty strong drinks, so I hope you're ready to get absolutely smashed." The blonde laughed, as Sam followed him to the locker room so    they could get showered and change into street clothes.      

"I loved getting wasted!"       

They cleaned up and headed towards Sam's favorite restaurant on the east side of town. They order two orders of food. Steve a vegan burger, while Sam ate chili cheese fries. He got defensive when Steve raised an eyebrow at his food choice. "What, this is what I got to the gym for you ass" the blonde laughed and they ordered their first round of drinks.       

"So, mind telling me what's been eating at that head of yours for the past couple of days?" Sam said as he stuck a fry in his mouth.       

Steve took a sip of his beer, and sucked in a breath.       

"You ever think about kids, Sam?"      

The beta was quiet for a couple of seconds, seeing where this was going. "Look, Rogers. You're handsome as fuck, but I'm not really into dating my boss." Sam was smiling through the whole thing, so Steve could know he wasn't serious.      

"Ha ha, but I'm serious. You ever think about it?"      

He took a sip of his drink, already knowing this was going to get heavy.      

"Well, yeah. I wouldn't mind having a kid, or adopting if I found the right person "      

Steve was quiet for a minute, eyes staring at his untouched food. "What about surrogacy? Ever thought about that?"      

Steve met his eyes at the last part, nothing but seriousness there. Sam felt like this was all too heavy for him to be getting involved in, considering Steve's past. But he was the guy's best friend, and whatever he said was probably going to be what made Steve decide on whatever he was thinking about.       

"Well, it definitely has it's benefits. You would be able to actually have a child that was at least half yours."       

Steve nodded and picked up his burger, taking his first bite. "Yeah..."      

"What has you asking about it, all of a sudden"      

Steve swallowed and continued without looking at the other. "Just been thinking about it. How I'm almost 30, and I'm not getting any younger. I've always wanted a family, and how maybe I should start one."       

There was so much    else    that was unspoken in those words, sam knew. He knew why Steve wanted a family. He remembered Peggy and what had happened. He didn't bring it up, but popped in another fry.      

"Well, I think that you would make a great dad. And you're an adult, you can choose if you want this on your own."       

Steve smiled at the beta. "You think I'd be a great dad?"      

Sam smirked. "I think you'd have the most loved kid on the planet, to be honest. But don't tell Tony I said that, or he'd probably fight me or something."       

The alpha's flinched when Tony's name was said, Sam making a note of that for later. They returned to drinking and eating, joking around and talking about upcoming meetings. It was already getting late, when Sam nudged him under the table.       

"I need you to tell me if there's a goddess at the bar giving me looks, or I'm just really drunk and have beer goggles."      

Steve discreetly looked over to the side to the bar, and spotted who Sam was talking about. She had deep red hair and was wearing a tight black dress. And she was definitely throwing looks.      

"You definitely don't have beer goggles on."      

"I think I'm in love."       

Steve laughed and signaled to waiter to their table, asking for the check. "Well, I said I'd pay for you, but I won't pay for your love at first sight girl."     

"Yeah,yeah. I'll see you at the office, Rogers. Thanks for the drinks. You were a great date, now if you'll excuse me"      

Steve smiled as Sam made his way towards the bar, the woman smiling and gesturing to the stool next to her. Steve left a couple of bills on the table to pay for their food and the waiter's tip, before standing up and calling his driver to take him home.       

============================================      

      

Bucky was currently sitting at Nat's coffee table, drink in one hand and piles of bills and letters in the other.   

He had never regretted quitting his job more than he was looking at his student debt. There was no way he could pay it off. Who the hell told him it was a good idea to major in Russian and German language, again? Navient was polite in their letter, asking him to pay six hundred dollars a month to pay his debt. He hated them. Yeah, he was currently staying with Nat, but he couldn't stay here forever, and he needed to find some kind of job. The problem was, omega didn't get much work. A lot more than the 40's, that's for damn sure, but still the jobs that would willingly hire someone like him were few and  far  between.   

He sipped at his drink, while he went over the divorce papers that Brock's attorney had mailed over. It still hurt, and it always would, thinking about the alpha. He thought that they were in love, but the more time that they spent apart, the more he was starting to see that the other had basically destroyed his life.   

Forget the financial issue, actually don't, but there was also the fact that he thought he would never be able to trust another alpha that way again.   

He heard the lock to the front door flip open, and he saw Nat walk in,  leaning  a little on the wall. He smirked at her, and her obviously drunken state.   

"Did you drive back?"  

She dropped her key in the bowl by the door, and kicked off her heels. Looking up from the hallway, she spotted Bucky and made her way to the living room, flopping down on the couch. "No,  I  shared a cab."  

"Shared?"  

She turned so that she was looking at him, hair getting in her face. "Yeah, met a guy. He was nice."  

The brunette frowned as a thought struck him. "You could have texted me. I would have left." He didn't want her to keep from having a social life just because his life was in shambles.   

"Don't worry about it. We exchanged numbers, but he said he had to work early in the morning, so do i."  

He let it go, but still felt bad.   

She pushed a pillow under her head and looked at the coffee table, seeing all the papers. "What's all that?"  

"Bills from my student loans, divorce papers." He said with a sigh. Leaning into the couch, he ran his hands over his face sighing. "What the hell am I going to do about money, Nat? I've got no income, a fucking pile of debt, and now I've got to pay for a divorce lawyer."   

She raised herself up a little, so that she could look at the omega properly. "Brock's getting  separate  lawyers? " At his nod, she cursed. "Fucking dick, I swear to god. If I ever see that piece of shit alpha again, I'll shoot him in the dick."  

He laughed at her slurred speech, and couldn't help feeling, not for the first time, that he should have fallen for her instead. But she had made it clear during their sophomore year in college, that she only saw him as a brother.   

"I could help you pay for some of this, I don't have a fortune saved up, but I have enough to help you out."   

He snapped out of his thoughts at her words. "No, Nat. You're already letting me stay here. I can't let you pay for my stuff too. " He took another sip of his drink, worry eating away at his  stomach . "I'll figure out something."  

She was  quiet  for a couple of seconds, before flipping over so that she was lying on her back, hand thrown over her eyes. "If you say so, but I'm here for  you , James. Hundred percent."  

He smiled as he could hear the way she was slipping off to sleep. He stood to get the blanket from the hall closet to drape over her, and her charger so her phone alarm could wake her in the morning. When he started to clean up the papers, he jumped a little as she started talking again.  

"Dude I was with tonight said that his boss was thinking about getting a surrogate. Maybe you should do that"   

He froze as he registered her words, turning around to see if she was awake, but she was passed out and sleeping soundly.  

He must have stayed staring at her for at least ten minutes, before he went to the guest bedroom. He used his phone to search the average pay for surrogates . He didn't sleep.  

========================================================================  

  

In the morning, Nat stumbled around the apartment trying to get ready for work in a hurry. She called out to him saying to lock the door behind her, and went off in a flurry. Bucky stepped out of his room and went to the kitchen to fix himself breakfast. He had searched and looked online all night on surrogacy and how to go about it. On how some states didn't allow compensated surrogacy, unless the person found a couple who would want to go to a state that allows it. He had signed up online for an agency, and now had to go in person to hand them his medical records and so that they could get his body mass index.

He wasn't going to tell Nat. Not until he knew if he was going to get accepted or not. It said he needed the full support of at least one person close to him to make the process easier, and he couldn't think of anyone but Nat.

Drinking his coffee, he reviewed the address that was emailed to him from the agency and set his nerves.

=======================================================================

When Steve went to work on Friday, Tony was back. The omega was loud and hyper, eager to get back to work.

Sam handed him his tablet that had the day's schedule laid out, meetings and business that needed attending to. He was on his way to his first meeting of the day, when Tony ran into him on his way to the same meeting.

"Good morning, sunshine!"

Steve smiled, still looking at the tablet. "Good morning, Tony. Nice to see you back at work. Means I won't have as much work." He tried to keep his voice cheerful, but the thoughts of what the other had said the week before and his own thoughts were clouding him.

"First day back, and we got a meeting with Fury about the Merger with Peirce. Damn. Can I go back home, yet?" The brunette said jokingly, and they finally reached the room and took their seats on opposite sides of the table. They were a couple of minutes early, about only a handful of people were already sitting down, so Steve typed on his table and decided to send Tony a message. The omega's own tablet showed a notification and he pressed it, seeing that it was a message from Steve.

We need to talk. in my office, after the meeting. -Steve Rogers. 10:18 am Friday

Tony looked up from the message, looking at the blonde to see what he was thinking. But the alpha wasn't looking at him, because Nick had walked in and the meeting officially began.

The meeting was tiresome and a decision still wasn't reached on whether or not they should merge.

Steve walked straight to his office, not even looking behind him to see if Tony was actually following him. The blonde told Sam to hold all incoming calls until further notice, to which the beta nodded and went to his desk. Steve shut the door after Tony walked in, and walked to his desk.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Steve continued moving the pen in his hand around, still not looking at Tony.

"I'm going to do it."

The brunette's eyes widened, but he asked just to be sure. "What are you doing exactly"

At that, Steve did look at Tony. Gaze serious.

"I'm going to get a surrogate. I just wanted you to know that."

Tony knew that his talk had hit the alpha hard, but this was all a little sudden.

"Well, you're an adult. If you think you're ready, then go for it."

Steve smiled, but it was tense and aggressive. "And since you were the one to suggest this in the first place, i was wondering if you had any recommendations?"

The omega felt goose bumps on his skin at the scent Steve was putting off. Tony smiled, none the less. Trying to ease the tension, even though he was rubbing his arms to get rid of his bumps.

"I do, actually. Pepper has a friend that owns an adoption and surrogacy agency.Her name is Jane Foster. I could go ahead and set up an appointment for you, if you'd like?"

Steve smiled again, and rose. Signaling for Tony to stand up as well. He held open the door for the omega.

"That'd be great."

When Tony was walking past the door, Steve spoke again.

"Oh, and I'll be sure to let Pepper know that you helped me with all of this. "

Tony swung around, but the door shut in his face.

"Shit."

================================

Steve sat on a chair in the waiting area. Darcy, ms. Foster's assistant had said that she would be with him shortly.

The intercom on the beta's desk went off and the voice said for her to let him in. She stood to open the door, and let him through.

He was met with another light brown haired beta, that was very beautiful  and had a sweet smelling perfume on.

She smiled and sat up from her chair.

"You must be Steve. My name's Jane Foster. It's a pleasure to meet you." They shook hands and then she walked back to her chair. "Please, take a seat."

"Thank you." He sat down across from her, and waited for business to start.

"So, Tony says that you are interested in getting a surrogate?"

He nodded. "Yes, mam."

She smiled, sensing his nervousness. "Do you have any particular preferences you would like to discuss beforehand?"

"Not really. I just want the surrogate to come from a healthy family."

She nodded and wrote notes on her tablet of their conversation. "And will you and your mate be providing the egg and sperm?"

Steve tensed up, but tried to not let it come out in his voice. "I don't have a mate. And i will be donating my sperm."

Jane's eyes widened, and flushed in embarrassment. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean anything by it, it's just that most people that come are mates that are unable to conceive"

"It's fine."

She wrote down some more notes, before speaking again. "So that would mean, we would have to get either an omega or female beta to carry the baby. Do you have a preference to one?"

He was about to say that it didn't matter, but the thought of a female beta brought up memories  that he wasn't ready to handle.

"An omega would be better. And does your agency have some kind of insurance?"

"Insurance?"

He fidgeted in his seat, trying not to come off as rude. "In case the mother decides that during the pregnancy, they want to keep the baby."

Jane was quiet for a few seconds, before she reached into her desk and took out a binder."now, tell me if I'm being rude. But you're looking for an omega surrogate that would want no interest in the child they would carry."

Steve nodded, and she unclipped a folder from the binder, handing it over to the alpha.

"We had a surrogate candidate come in a couple days ago, healthy family history, and a male omega. When asked for his reason, he made it perfectly clear it was for the financial income he would receive."

Steve opened the folder to see all the information on the omega, including his full name and a photo. There was a single word in red that caught his attention.

"It says here that he's married."

"Yes, well. He is in the process of filing for divorce. Hence the money situation. So normally we do encourage the mate of the surrogate to be fully supportive, but on occasions like this, exceptions can be made. As long as there is a fully supportive person that the surrogate can count and rely on. So someone  like this would be what you were looking for."

Steve flipped through the file, starting at the omega's name.

"Yes, let's set up them meeting."

_James Buchanan Barnes_

 


	2. Chapter 2

When he had gone to the agency and sat down with Ms. Foster, to say that he was a ball of nerves was an understatement. She had asked if he was in any relationships, and when he had told her his situation, her face had fallen a little. She explained to him about their policies for mates to be supportive of the surrogacy, but after he explain what had happened between him and Brock, she had decided to give him a chance.

The beta bit her lip as she reviewed the form the other had filled out. Considering the omega before her. All his health tests came back positive in that he was perfectly healthy, and she couldn’t deny that a lot of parents would be drawn to his looks if only an egg could be donated.

She had felt angry on his behalf when he had told her his reason for turning to surrogacy.

Clipping his form into her binder, she brought her hands together in front of her mouth and looked directly into his eyes.

“So here’s the deal. I will be willing to give my consent in allowing you to be a surrogate for our company, if and only if you can provide someone in the place of a mate that is fully supportive when and if you are brought in for an interview. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mam”

There was an email from the agency sitting in his inbox stating that he was selected for an interview with a potential parent .

He was sitting on the couch, laptop on his lap while Natasha was taking the chinese food they ordered out from the bags in front of him. He snuck a glance at the redhead as she sat down on the floor and started to open the take out boxes on the coffee table.

Clearing his throat, he tried to make his voice as calm and casual as possible.

“Hey, Nat. Remember that night you said you were going to Luke’s bar?”

She turned around so that she could look at the other, nodding around a mouthful of sesame chicken.

“What’s the last thing you remember about that night?”

She got a suspicious glint in her eye as she chewed and swallowed her food. fully turning her body towards the brunette. “I asked Luke if he could call me a cab, and I came home. Why?”

He was staring at his laptop, trying not to fidget under her stare. “Do you remember anything after that? Like what you said to me here, in the living room?”

“You need to stop with all the questions and tell me what you want to say, before I end up kicking you.”

He let out a laugh, and killed it quickly before it turned into hysterics. “So, it’s pretty funny actually. You came in and were minutes from passing out on the couch, so I put a blanket over you. And you said something, that I may have taken seriously.”

She was glaring at him. “What did I say, James?”

“You may have mentioned something about how the guy you were with that night was talking about how his boss was looking into surrogacy, and I may have thought that that sounded like a pretty good idea.”

She was dead silent, so he continued.

“And I may have gone to a surrogacy agency and applied to become a surrogate. Under the condition that I present someone who I am close to as fully supportive of my decision to become said surrogate.”

There was silence for a long time, before she picked up her left hand and pinched her cheek. Hard.

“What are you doing?”

The tips of her fingers turned white as she applied more pressure to her cheek. “I’m trying to wake myself up, because obviously you’re talking crazy and I’m still asleep at my desk or something. “

“Nat. You’re awake.”

She rose to feet quickly, some of the food on the table rattled when she bumped into the edge.

“Are you out of your fucking mind? What in the world would make you think that this is a good idea?”

Closing and setting the laptop aside, he stood up so that he was level with her. “I researched it, and it’s something that I can make enough money to cover my loans from school and my divorce lawyer. Plus, whoever the parents are, they will cover all the baby expenses. It’s actually not that big of a-”

She raised her finger and poked him in the chest, eyes furious.

“Don’t say that this isn’t a big deal, James. Because it is! It is a very big deal. Not to mention, there’s a damn kid involved in all this somewhere along the line! What the fuck, James? Like, seriously! Explain this shit to me”

He raised his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Nat, look. I know this is.. Fuck! I know it’s some kind of fucking batshit crazy last resort, but let’s get real here. How the hell am I going to find a job? And one that is going to help me pay for the bills of a damn lawyer in these next upcoming months? “

“I already said that I’d help you pay-”

“That’s just it, Nat! I am putting too much of my shit life on you! You’ve already done so much for me. I should have listened to you when you first told me that you didn’t like Brock, and now my life is fucking shit. I’m chest deep in debt and It’s only going to get worse if I don’t do something. “

Her face fell at his words, because everything he was saying was true. She crossed her arms across her chest.

“I know, man. and I know that this is hard for you, but for real? Do you understand that you’re going to be having a baby for some other person?”

Bucky smiled and she flinched.

“I know, Nat.”

She turned away to glare at the wall, before whipping her head back to look in his eyes.

“So what made you decide to tell me, all of a sudden?”

He bit his lip and she already knew the answer.

“The agency just emailed me, that I was picked for an interview with a potential parent. “

Her eyes widened. “That was fast.”

He chuckled, and stared at her.

“Wait, you said that you had to show them you have someone who is supportive of this. “

“Yeah, I did.”

Her arms fell to her sides and she shook her head, taking a step back.

“No way. Absolutely, not.”

“Come on, Nat. I’ve got no one-”

“This is fucking crazy!” She raked her hands over her face. “You! You’re fucking crazy! I refuse to be a part of this.”

She still had her hands over her eyes when she heard a thud in front of her and looked down. “Oh my god, get up. “

Bucky was on his knees looking up at her.  “Please, Nat. “

“No, fuck you. Get up.”

He clenched his hands in the knees of his pants and lowered his head.

“”You’re all i’ve got, Nat. Please.”

Here was Bucky, her best friend. Begging on his knees in the middle of her living room to be part of his crazy plan to become a surrogate for money, while chinese food from their favorite restaurant was getting cold on her coffee table.

“If I say yes, will you get the hell up?”

He looked up at her, a hopeful look in his eyes.  “I will literally fly into the atmosphere if you say yes.”

“Fucking fine!”

He wrapped his arms around her middle, and started rubbing his face into her t-shirt. “Thank you, Nat.”

She didn’t mention the fact that she could feel a wet spot through her t-shirt where the other had his face.

“But I want to meet whoever the other parents are.”

=============================================

Pepper had invited Steve over to dinner again, and they were currently chopping up some celery and spinach.  While Tony was sitting down at the bar with Marie, watching them cook. Pepper smiled as he took in the happy mood the other alpha was in when he brought the pot of water to a boil on the stove.

“Someone certainly seems chipper today. Any reason for that? “ She fake gasped and threw a glance at her mate. “Did Tony actually do all of his work today?”

Steve laughed at the joke when Tony made an exaggerated hurt look. “Peps, you wound me!”

The brunette was smiling, but he was still sneaking glances to Steve.

Steve was still smiling when he dropped the news.

“I actually got a call today, that the interview with my possible surrogate is going to be on friday.”

A feather could drop in the kitchen and it would have sounded like a bomb at that moment.

Tony was silently saying his prayers , while Pepper recovered from her shock.

“Surrogate? You’re looking into surrogacy, Steve? Since when?”

“It’s been about two weeks now, since I initially spoke to the agency. They seem really great and professional.”

“I didn’t even know that you were thinking about stuff like this. I mean” She trailed off as Steve turned to look at her. She saw that there was a fragility to the blonde right now. Thinking about how much Steve wanted to have a family, it made her ease up on her initial rejection,but she was still concerned. “I know you’ve been wanting to have a family for a long time now, but surrogacy? Are you sure?”

The alpha nodded, not breaking eye contact with her. “It’s want I really want. Plus, I would be able to have a child. I mean, I wouldn’t have it exactly, but at least this way it would be half of me.” Steve didn’t need Pepper’s approval, but being one of his closest friends, it would mean a lot.

Pepper knew that Steve had already made up his mind about this, and the best she could do, was offer her help. “ At least let me look into the agency, before you do anything rash. I don’t want them taking advantage of you or whoever you decide is going to be your surrogate. I have a couple of contacts in this area, so I could make some calls.”

Tony prayed to every god he knew of.

Steve turned back to his chopping as his voice took on a cheerful tone, once again. “Actually, Tony helped me with that already.”

Pepper whipped her head towards her mate, that was doing his best not to get the hell out of the kitchen at the look his alpha was giving him.

“He did, did he?”

Putting the chopped greens into a bowl, he nodded. “Yeah, he recommended a friend of your’s. Jane Foster. She seems very nice, and everything checks out on the agency.”

The smile she gave the blonde was strained as she nodded in agreement.

“Oh, Jane! Yes, we went to University together. And her business is one of the best in the state. I’m sure she’ll take very good care of you. “ She turned towards Tony, smile still set in place. “Tony, remind me to send Jane something for helping Steve. “ The look in her eyes told the brunette that they would have a serious talk about all of this when Steve left.

Tony nodded and held Marie a little tighter.

‘Your mom is going to kill me, Mar’

The baby cooed up at her dad, not realizing that he was a dead man.

============================================================

The meeting that Bucky, Nat, and Ms. Foster had had went by surprisingly fast.

There was a form that Natasha needed to fill out stating that she would be his emergency contact, and that she fully and completely understood what he was doing and would be his support system throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

Natasha told Ms. Foster that she wished to be present for the first meeting that James would have with the potential parents, to which the beta happily agreed to.

Bucky was officially a surrogate now that all the paperwork had been filled out, so that just left the meeting with the parent.

Ms. Foster had given him a brief description on who he was going to be meeting on friday. He was an alpha, and was going to raise the child as a single parent.

It was friday and him and Nat were dressed to meet both Ms.Foster and the other alpha.

Bucky went over the address to a restaurant that had been given to him the previous day to his cab driver and he turned to Nat. She was still mad at him, but she was going along with it. She was wearing a long sleeved black shirt with dark jeans and knee length boots. Bucky smiled to himself as he remembered that this was her “power outfit”.  While Bucky was wearing a white v-neck sweater and black jeans with grey ankle boots.

Natasha had told him to dress in neutrals because they looked bet on him.

“It’s not a date, Nat. It’s a business meeting.” He laughed, but the alpha pursed her lips.

“I don’t want this alpha dude’s first impression of you to be ‘sad’, so you are going to look good. Even if I have to dress you myself.” She did end up dressing him, by the way.

The place they stopped at was nice without being too “Fancy”. It was something that the other alpha had chose, and they apparently had really good vegan food. When Bucky told Nat that, she made a face.

“Great. Your baby daddy is a hippie.”

He had laughed and they made their way inside, where there was a slender blonde and brunette beta.

“How may I help you today?” She said kindly with a smile, as she stepped in front of her podium.

“We are here to see a Ms. Foster.” Bucky smiled at the blonde and she perked up at knowing the name.

“Right this way.” She led them towards the side of the restaurant where the wall to the outside was filled with wall to wall windows.that outlooked the outdoor sitting area. Ms. Foster was already seated with a tall blonde that Bucky guessed was Mr. Rogers.

When the brunette beta saw the two of them, she smiled and stood up to which the other stood as while. “Right on time. James, I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Rogers.” Bucky shook the hand the blonde offered and returned his smile.

“Steve Rogers, nice to meet you.”

‘Hot dam.’ Was the first thing that went through the omega’s mind when he got a good look at the alpha. Dude was built like a brick house and fuck, if wasn’t handsome as hell. He jumped a little as Natasha nudged his foot, because he was still shaking the alpha’s hand.

Heat flashed up his face as he cleared his throat. “James Barnes, but everyone calls me Bucky.” The blonde smiled at the nickname, as Natasha introduced herself next and they took their seats.

The blonde beta gave them all menus and took out a small notepad from her breast pocket. “My name’s Gwen and I will be your server today. Can I get you guys some drinks?”

They ordered and Gwen disappeared to the back of the restaurant. Jane took out a folder from the book bag that hung from her chair and decided to start.

“So, are there any questions that you both had for each other?”

Natasha was the first one to speak, much to everyone’s surprise.

“What are the guidelines for this? Are there a list of rules that will be put into place?”

Jane opened the folder and took out a sheet of paper. “There is, actually. I have a contact from the both of you to read over and sign when and if you agree. Mr. Rogers and I went over this beforehand in my office. Things that he wants to make sure of, his involvement with the pregnancy and such.”

Bucky took his copy and flipped over the pages, Natasha asked if she could have the other copy to go over it as well. Steve and Jane nodded and she leaned back in her chair as she read.

“It says here that you would want to have him stay at your residence in the later months of the pregnancy?” Natasha questioned the blonde.

He leaned forward to give her his full attention. He couldn’t get the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before, but he shook the thought from his head as he responded.

“Yes. I mean, I would prefer it. To be able to be close by in case I’m needed for anything. “

Bucky turned towards Nat and tried his best not to look worried. It wasn’t that he thought that Steve was a bad guy, but to be living with him was a little awkward. Sensing the other’s discomfort, Steve smiled nervously towards Jane. “It doesn’t have to be part of the contract, if he feels uncomfortable. It’s just a suggestion.”

Everyone nodded, and the rest of the things on the list were pretty much what you expect. That Steve was to be notified about every doctor check up and if there was anything that might be potentially wrong with the baby along the way.

Their drinks came and they ordered their food, Jane saying that this meeting was on the agency when the waiter asked if the tickets were going to be together or separate.

Buky was drinking his water when he flipped to the middle of the contract and saw something that made a chill run down his spine. “What’s this?”

Jane saw the page he was looking at and tried her best to be as casual as possible. This was always a bit of a sore spot for some of her surrogates, some of them tended to get offended.

“It is a contract that states that you will not have any ownership towards the child once it is born. “

Natasha put down her drink and sat up straight to look at the two others across the table from them. “Isn’t that the whole point of surrogacy?” Bucky asked.

Jane rubbed her hands together. “Yes, but there have been incidents that a surrogate will grow attached to the child during the duration of the pregnancy and will try and keep it. This when signed, is a binding contract stating that if this were to happen, there would be charges filed against you and you will most likely be sent to jail.”

The omega’s eyes widened at her words, Steve next to her looking every bit as serious.

Natasha nudged him under the table, he turned to her and saw that she was asking if he was okay with her expression. He snapped out of his shock and took the pen that was on the table between them. “Well, I can sign that part already, for sure.” It was said jokingly to dissolve the tension, but the thought that they had to put in a separate contract to make sure he didn’t steal this guy’s baby was in the back of his head.

He signed his name in neat cursive at the line on the paper, and Bucky could see that the tension that had been in the blonde alpha’s shoulders eased a little.

Their food came and Bucky’s eyes kept on drifting to what was on the alpha’s plate as he remembered that the restaurant the were ate were known for their selection of vegan friendly food.Steve must have caught him staring, because he let out a nervous chuckle which broke the brunette’s focus.

Bucky looked up to see that Steve was looking at him, and he flushed at having been caught staring. “Sorry, I didn't mean to stare.”

“don’t worry about it. I’ve got a friend that hates that I’m vegan, because it makes him feel guilty.”

Bucky took a bite out of his chicken and continued the conversation seeing that Steve wasn’t insecure about it. “So what made you choose to become one? A vegan, I mean.”

Steve laughed and smiled. “It’s pretty cliche.”

“What? Saw one too many documentaries?” Bucky teased jokingly.

The blonde grinned at him, and Bucky felt heat under his collar at how nice the other looked when he smiled.

“Exactly! You hit the nail on the head. I binge watched them on Netflix one day, and it really struck a chord in me. I wasn’t what you would call an extreme animal lover, but seeing the way we use them really upset me. So I decided to not participate in that anymore. And it’s been one of the best decisions of my life.”

Natasha cleared her throat, and he looked over at her to see that she was giving him a look. He turned back to the other side of the table to see that Jane was trying her best to be invested in her own food, but couldn’t really hide the small smile on her lips.

His eyes widened as he realized that he had just been flirting. With the guy that was going to pay him to have his baby.

“Right, so.” He signed his contract, to which Jane took happily after he read through it. “Now that that is done, what’s next?”

Jane put both copies of the contract away, before turning back to them. “Now that this is settled, we would go ahead and set James up with our fertility doctor to start him up on some pills to increase his chances of conceiving as well as jump start your heat.”

Bucky ddd to show that he was following along and she took out a small planner from inside her bag. “Is there any date in particular that you would want to go, James?”

Hs nerves were starting up again as he responded.

  
“As soon as possible, I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alternate ch title: "How many times can i say vegan in one chapter?"
> 
> also the outfit that nat and buck are wearing are two of my favorite outfits atm to wear
> 
>  
> 
> I'm always a slut for kudos and comments 
> 
> Plus, they motivate me to update faster


	3. 3.a

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr @ jibblyuniverse

Bucky was shitting his pants. not literally of course, but he felt like that was also was something that could happen as he laid on the “bed” in the doctor’s office. It had been a month since he had had the interview with Mr. Rogers and Ms. Foster at the restaurant, and after getting his fertility and heat pills from the doctor the agency sent him to, here he was.

Entering into the height of his heat, waiting for Dr. Banner to come in and artificially inseminate him.

Natasha was waiting for him in the other room to take him home after the deed was done. The pills that Dr. Banner had given him to put him into heat made it so, he all the heightened chances of getting pregnant, but none of the cramps or desire to actually mate with anyone.

Hearing footsteps coming close to the door, he let out a deep breath to steel his nerves. There was a knock on the door, before it slowly opened. Bucky was expecting the doctor, but when he saw that the blonde alpha he was having a baby for peeked in, he reflexively sat up and used the paper gown he was wearing to hide his privates. “Um! Hi!” The brunette said loudly. Embarrassment at having the alpha see him almost naked made his body flush red.

"I'm sorry" Steve turned his head, so that he wouldn't look at the exposed omega. His was blushing and coughed into his hand. "I should have, uh, called first. About me being here."

After the initial embarrassment passed, Bucky remembered how the contract stated that the alpha was going to get notifications on any and all scheduled doctor's appointments, and to be notified by the surrogate if any new appointments or doctor visits were made..

"Uh, no. It's not a big deal." Scratching the back of his neck, Bucky fixed himself so the other could look at him. "It's your kid. You should be here."

Steve turned his head, so that he was facing the omega and smiled. Feeling relieved at not being kicked out. He opened his mouth to say something, but the door thudded against his back, and he rushed to the side to get out of the way. Doctor Banner gave Steve a confused look, as he settled behind the medical bed, before giving him a nod.

"You must be the lucky daddy?"

A smile broke out over Steve's face as he nodded to the beta. "Yeah. I mean. Yes, That'd be me"

Bucky turned away from where he had been looking at Steve from the corner of his eye, that same tight feeling in his chest from the first time he had seen the alpha smile like that.

Bruce looked at Bucky now. "Are you sure you're comfortable with him being in here? Some people prefer to do this in private." Steve looked nervous again, but Bucky just shook his head. "No, he's fine."

At hearing the omega's consent, the beta took out a covered syringe from his coat pocket and the sight of it made Bucky swallow. The thought that that was going up his ass was simultaneously hilarious and terrifying.

Uncapping the top, the doctor pulled the rolling stool in front of the bed and asked for Bucy to sit back and place his feet in the stirrups. Lying back, he was facing the ceiling and saw that the alpha was politely not looking at where the doctor was. There were sounds of something squishy, before Dr. Banner let Bucky know that he was starting. "The gel might be a bit cold."

And just like that, the plastic tubing of the syringe was inserted into him.

He let out a gasp at the feeling, his hand automatically coming up to grasp onto the hand that was resting on the side of the bed.

Steve sharply looked down at where the hand had caught his wrist, and at Bucky when he let out another sharp breath. Bucky caught Steve's eyes.

There was a tug and then Doctor Banner cough quietly to break the eye contact between the two. "There you go. All done, Mr Rumlow."

The use of his married last name snapped him out of whatever mood he was in, as he sat up and closed his legs. Steve dropping his hand from where it rested on the bed and taking a small step back."Please call me Mr. Barnes."

============================================

Natasha stood up as she saw him through the observation window at the front counter, and was going to start walking towards him when she saw Steve. Doctor Banner was talking to the both of them about how the next appointment was in a month and gave Bucky his private number to call in case something happens. The both of them nodded and pushed the exit door to get to the front waiting room.

Bucky was shocked at how relieved he was just at the sight of the red headed apha and started to move towards her when he remembered Steve.

Turning around, he fidgeted as he didn't really know what to say in this situation.

The blonde smiled at how the other was struggling to say something to him. "I guess I'll see you in a month." Steve saw the same alpha from the month before from the restaurant come up behind the omega.

"Yeah. It's a date, I guess." Bucky immediately wanted to smack himself in the face at his dumb choice of words.

Steve took it in stride, though. Nodding at the two of them before making his way towards the door. "If anything comes up, my number's on page three of the contract."

Bucky nodded when Steve left and groaned at the face Nat was making.

"What?"

"nothing. I didn't say a word." She smirked at him and started to look for her keys in her purse, heading for the exit.

Just wondering if I should dress you again for your "Date" next month."

"Nat, that's not funny." Bucky said, heat creeping up his face.

She pushed open the door and they made their way through the parking lot. "Oh, I agree. I mean come on, James. Mister tall , blonde, and alpha won't fall head over heels for you in that My Chemical Romance t-shirt. Talk about middle school emo."

"Oh my god, Nat. Shut up."

================================================

The next couple of weeks were pretty uneventful. Bucky kept on looking for jobs online, while Natasha went to work till five and brought dinner for the both of them at six. 

He didn't feel any different, but the thought that he could have someone's kid in him at that second still freaked him out. The month passed by relatively fast, with Bucky's hunt for jobs being unsuccessful and his perception of time off. 

Nat couldn't go with him when he went back to the Doctor's office, because she had to work. He could feel the jitters worse without her presence next to him on the cab ride while his leg bounced rapidly. He paid the driver with the cash Nat had left him in the kitchen and got off. 

There were a lot of people in the waiting room, but he immediately spotted the tall blonde. Steve perked up when he saw Bucky and gave him a smile. To which the brunette quickly turned away to sign his name on the vistor's sheet. The receptionist took the seat with a smile and said that Doctor Banner would be with him momentarily. 

Steve stood up to give him the chair he had been sitting on, but bucky shook his head, embarrassed. "I'm fine"

Steve looked like he was going to insist, when they were called. A beta nurse was holding the door while distractedly looking down at a clipboard, mumbling to himself. When the both of them came into his immediate area, he lowered the cliboard and put on a gentle smile. "Good moring, Mr. Barnes." He turned to Steve and greeted him as well. "Morning, Mr. Rogers."

They both said awkward greetings in return and they were led to the third room in the patient hallway. This room had two chairs opposite the medical bed, which Steve happily sat in. 

The nurse asked if anything had happened within the last month that the doctor needed to know beforehand, to which Bucky said no to, and then proceeded to give him a small plastic cup. 

"When you're done, go head and leave it on the window sill in front of the restroom. And after that, the doctor will be with you shortly."

====================================

After handing over his urine sample to another nurse, Bucky went back to the room and sat on the bed. The paper on top of it, making noise whenever he moved to get comfortable. Steve hand his hands together resting on his knees, and had a deep look of concentration on his face. 

Feeling that someone was looking at him, the blonde raised his head and saw Bucky. The brunette quickly averted his gaze, but he knew he had been caught. 

Doctor Banner knocked on the door before entering in with a portable laptop on a rolling stand. He saw the both of them and nodded a good morning. 

The beta spent a few seconds typing before looking away from the screen and facing them with his full attention.

"Okay, so your results came in." Steve sat up straighter, while Bucky held his breath. The doctor smiled and clapped his hands once. "And there's definately a baby in there. As of now, you are pregnant, Mr. Barnes." Bucky let out a ragged breath as Steve smiled in the chair. "Congratulations. I will go ahead and inform the agency, and my receptionist will give Mr. Barnes a list of vitamins that I recommend and set up our next appointment. If there are any questions?"

He paused to give either Steve or Bucky the chance to ask any to which the both of them shook their heads no. "Then I hope you to have a great day."

They stayed silent in the room for a couple of seconds, before Steve stood and made his way towards him. The blonde grabbed his shoulders and Bucky looked up into his face, seeing that he looked close to tears.

"I can't even begin to thank you enough for doing this." 

Bucky felt that tightness in his chest again and knew his cheeks were turning pink. "No, problem."

Steve started to move forward, but held back and asked Bucky if he could give him a hug. the brunette let out a laugh and said that it was okay. He didn't think he could deny Steve a hug when the blonde looked so happy. 

The contact was brief, but very warm. Bucky's nose was pushed along Steve's nape and he caught the scent of fresh linen and something woody before the other pulled back. 

Bucky made his next appointment and asked the recepionist if she could call him a cab to take him home.Steve fridgted next to him and Bucky turned to see if the blonde needed something. 

"What?"

Steve looked uncomfortable, before he fished out his keys from his pocket. "I could drive you, if you want."

Bucky's eyes widened at the suggestion, and was already going to decline when the other spoke again. "I mean obviously you don't have to, but i'm just offering. It kind of seems like the least i can do considering everything."

The receptionist was looking at Bucky, wondering if to go ahead and give the call, but Bucky apologized to her. Turning back to Steve, he took out his phone to see the time seeing that it was lunch time rush and being able to get a cab was going to take forever. "Um, Yeah. I guess that's fine."

Steve perked up and lead him out of the doctor's office and through the parking lot.He was parked in the third row, and Bucky had to mentally stop himself from droping his jaw when Steve hit the unock button and the lights flashed. 

"This isn't your car."

The alpha looked confused at the other, before opening the driver's side door. "Yes, it is?" Bucky carefully opened the passenger side door and saw that the inside was a dark leather. "This is a Bentley" Steve turned on the igntion and nodded. "That's what it said when I paid for it. So I hope so." The alpha joked as bucky finally closed the door and put on his seat belt. He had never actually seen a bentley in real life, only on television and magizines. Fuck, it was a nice car.

"So, where am I heading?" They pulled out of the parking lot and stopped at the stop sign. Steve waiting for the other to give him directions.

"It's down 11th. Just go like you're going towards the convention center and then I'll tell you where to turn." 

Steve nodded and turned right so that they started heading in that direction. He turned on his radio and the volume was set low. 

They had been driving for a good fifteen minutes, because traffic was picking up for lunch time. As if his stomach knew the time, Bucky flushed as it growled in hunger. "Sorry. I skipped breakfast today."

It turned out to be a bad thing to say, because Steve's face got serious and a little disapproving. "It's not good to skip breakfast. Especially, now"

"Yeah, sorry. I just had a busy morning. I'll eat something when I get home." Bucky sat a little further down in his seat.

Steve kept his eyes on the road for a couple of minutes, before he spoke agan. "You know, I 'm feeling pretty hungry. Feel like picking up something to eat?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next ch in the next couple of days bc this one was so short


	4. 3.b

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr @ Jibblyuniverse

Bucky whipped his head towards the other, questioning if getting a ride home with the alpha was the right decision. There was a lump in his throat that he tried to get rid of with a cough. The tension in the space of the front of the car was suddenly heavy and Steve backtracked as he caught the smell of nervousness coming from the omega.

“It’s just lunch. Everybody’s got to eat lunch, right? Plus, you just said that you haven’t eaten today, and it’s kind of my duty to take care of you right now.” The blonde’s face heated up knowing what he was saying sounded like, but it was true. James was now officially pregnant with his child, and he wanted to be sure the omega was taking care of himself.

Bucky knew this too, but it was still weird and he didn’t like it. “I can take care of myself.” He said stubbornly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Steve sighed and felt bad at having hurt the other’s pride. “That’s not what I meant, okay? It’s just food.” He threw a tight smile at Bucky, trying to put him at ease. “You can even pick where we go. I don’t mind.”

Bucky suckd on his teeth and huffed. He was hungry, and being alone at the apartment waiting for Nat wasn’t really that appealing at the moment. “No, it’s fine. You can pick. I don’t care what it is as long as I can eat.”

Steve laughed and turned on his blinker. “Preach.”

They drove for another fifteen minutes before turning right. Bucky had been day dreaming out of the window, so he hadn’t been paying that much attention. But when they passed by Coach store, he sat up and looked around. He felt his stomach drop as he recognized where they were.

This was the the nicer side of the city with upscale restaurants and the high end designer shops. They pulled into a lot for one of the restaurants and drove to the front so the valet could take and park the car. Pulling the keys out of the ignition, Steve undid his seatbelt and saw that Bucky was clenching his jaw. “Everything, okay?”

The valley came around and opened the door for Bucky to which the brunette mumbled a quiet “Thank you.”, avoiding Steve’s question. Then went around to hold the door open for Steve as the alpha got out and handed over his keys. The female valent at the podium gave Steve a number.

Bucky had stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling completely out of place as the went into the front entrance and a friendly omega greeted them. “Welcome to Antonio’s, a table for how many?”

Steve told him for two and another person lead them through the restaurant and seated them at a side booth. “May I take your drink orders.

Steve ordered a raspberry tea, and Bucky a water. The waiter giving them both menus and leaving to go place their drinks.

Bucky was sitting quietly in his seat and wasn’t looking at Steve. Instead, taking in how the other people were dressed in the area they were sitting in. There were suits everywhere. Bucky shifted in his jeans and t-shirt and almost wished he had let Nat dress him today. If he knew this was going to happen, he would have said no to Steve. Peeking through his eyelashes at the alpha to take a look at what he was wearing. Him and Steve seemed to be the most underdressed in the restaurant, but the shirt and jeans that the alpha had on were probably ten times more expensive than what Bucky had on.

Steve saw the way Bucky’s shoulders were full of tension and felt like he had done something wrong. “You okay?”

Bucky sat up straight in his chair, fiddling with the napkin that was on the table. “Fine. Great, actually.”

The blonde frowned at the other’s tone. “I’m going to take a wild guess and say that you’re lying. you seem pretty uncomfortable.”

A chuckle slipped past his lips at the other’s words. He crossed his arms over his chest and stuck up his chin. “Well, yeah. I didn’t know we were coming to a restaurant. What happened to “Pick something up”? “

Steve sighed and took his drink when the waiter came back with them. Steve told him that they needed more time, when the waiter asked if they were ready to order.

“Food’s food. and you said you were fine with anything. We could take something to go, if you want?”

Now Bucky felt bad, knowing that he was being pouty and shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Just give a guy a head’s up next time you decide to take him to go eat somewhere nice.”

Steve laughed and picked up his menu to skim through the orders. “I’ll keep that in mind, next time.”

Bucky flushed at the way his words sounded,, feeling frustrated that he was just all over the place. “I didn’t mean to make this sound like that. This isn’t a  date or anything like that, obviously.” The more words tumbled out of his mouth, the more embarrassed he felt.

Steve was polite enough, to just smile and not look at how flustered the omega was. “Obviously. I’m just feeding you.” It was said light heartedly, but bucky couldn’t help but swallow.

God, he should have just gone home.

They went over their menus and ordered the next time the waiter came back. Bucky ordering a shrimp scampi while Steve ordered something that apparently had a ton of vegetables on it and with wheat pasta. After all the awkwardness at the beginning, when their food got to them,they ate in a comfortable silence.

Bucky was about halfway through his food when Steve finally asked im something. “So I know it’s up to you, but could I maybe ask a favor?”

Putting down his fork, Bucky gave Steve his full attention. “Sure?”

Steve looked uncomfortable, but reached in his pocket for his phone. “Could I give you a list of foods and meals to eat?”

He must have been making a face, because Steve hurriedly continued. “You could eat whatever you want. I just would want you to maybe eat some things to help with” he made a small gesture towards Bucky’s stomach and he remembered that he was a surrogate for the man in front of him again.

The food sat heavily in the pit of his stomach while he nodded. “Yeah, no problem. You’re just looking out for your baby.”

There was a bit of sourness in his tone to which the blonde picked up on, but didn’t comment on. Bucky ate his food, to which he admitted to himself was the best pasta he had ever eaten, and waited anxiously when Steve waved the waiter over to give them their check.

“Will that be together or seperate, sir?”

“Sep-”

“Together.” Steve said as he gave the waiter his card and smiled.

Bucky clenched his jaw and waited for them to give Steve back his card, before standing up and making his way towards the front entrance. The brunette was eating up the distance with his long legs, to which Steve had to quicken his pace to catch up to him when he got to the valet station.

His car drove up and Bucky got in as soon as one of the valets opened the door for him, putting on his seat belt and waiting for Steve to get in. The blonde took the keys and got in, before carefully shutting his door and sneaking a look at the omega in his passenger seat. Now that they were in an enclosed space, he could clearly smell the irritation from the other’s scent. He was about to open his mouth to ask what was wrong, when Bucky spoke first.

“Does your car have a gps?”

The question caught Steve off guard and he carefully touched the pad where his radia was to activate the gps. “Yeah, why?”

Bucky leaned forward to type in his address into the space provided and a cheerful robotic voice announced that the route was mapped. Steve looked on as Bucky took out his phone and a pair of headphones. “That’s my address.” He proceeded to stick the earbuds in his ear and look out the window, effectively blocking out the bewildered apha.

Putting the car into drive, Steve started down the route the gps had on the screen. The ride to the omega’s apartment was tense and unfriendly, and it had Steve thinking back on what he could have done to upset the other so much. He was coming up with a blank  as they reached their destination in fifteen minutes. Steve expected the brunette to just get up and leave, but was surprised when he took off one earbud and turned to him.

“I’ll give you my email address, so you can send over the list of foods.” The words were said emotionlessly, but they reminded Steve of their earlier conversation in the restaurant. There was a tight in his chest, like he was doing something wrong, as he turned to look at Bucky.

“Do you have a pen?” The omega said as he undid his seat belt.

Steve checked in the middle console of his car, and in the glove compartment, but couldn’t find any. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Will you remember it if i say it?” The brunette asked, looking more and more frustrated.

“I’m pretty bad at remembering things if I don’t write them down, to be honest.” Bucky sighed heavily and the air around him just screamed that he wanted to leave. “Then can i borrow your phone?” Steve hurriedly odded and passed it over. He pressed the button on the side and then handed it back to steve. “It needs a passcode.” The blonde didn’t take it, but said out his password instead. “you swipe to the right and the all the way down.”

Bucky hesitate for a second, feeling weird that he knew Steve’s password to his phone. It felt too private. He opened up a wordpad app and typed in his email address, handing the phone back to Steve. “there. If you want to send me anything that you want me to do, go ahead and send t to that email.”

Bucky nodded, and opened the door to get out.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked before Bucky put his second foot out of the Bentley. The brunette didn't turn around to look at Steve, but answered him anyway. “Fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” Bucky got out and closed the car door gently before making his way up the stairs to the apartment building.

Steve sat in his car for a few seconds, looking after the omega feeling like he had overstepped some boundary the other had. “I do, actually.” The blonde said, before sighing and looking out his rearview mirror to see if there was any oncoming traffic. Turning on his blinker, he turned and made his way home in the opposite direction.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always a slut for kudos and comments  
> plus it helps me update faster


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will post next part within the next couple of days, just wanted to post this, so i had something updated

Bucky glared at his reflection in the mirror.

It was barely anything, no one who didn’t see Bucky daily wouldn’t even notice, but He was with himself every second of every day. So of course he noticed.

Natasha a walking all throughout the apartment, getting ready for a date, when she back tracked to Bucky’s room door and stepped inside. She wanted to laugh, he knew she did. Her poker face was absolute shit at that moment; she’s getting rusty in her old age. Bucky snapped in his head as he saw her walk up next to him and look at him through the mirror.

“Am I interrupting something?” She said with humor in her voice.

Bucky huffed and placed his hands back over his stomach, shirt tucked under his armpits. “I’m getting fat.” He grumbled.

Her poorly held poker face broke and she let out a laugh, rubbing him on the back.

“Dude, you’re 16 weeks pregnant. You had to start showing eventually. Actually, it’s a miracle you started showing so late. Probably means you won’t gain like a million pounds when you’re almost going to pop.”

Groaning, Bucky pulled his shirt down and glared at her. “I will not gain a million pounds, you asshole.”

Smiling, she pushed her hands against his cheeks. “I bet you look adorable chubby.”

Swatting her hands away from his face, he threw himself on the bed. “I’ll have you know that I was chubby for like four years when I was a kid. It could happen again. And you wouldn’t be able to look at my awesome ripped body anymore. Now that would be a tragedy, all because you jinxed it.”

Chuckling, she laid down next to him on his bed, staring at his ceiling. “You do realize that you’re about to be super pregnant. Do you know how many horror stories I hear from people about their body never being able to bounce back?” It was said jokingly, but Bucky still frowned.

“Not me. I’m going to be like Gisele Bündchen.”

“She’s a super model, dude.” She laughed.

“Yeah, well. I could totally be a super model.”

“No doubt, no doubt.”

They stayed quiet for a couple of minutes, just enjoying each other’s company. Nat turned her head so that she was looking at the brunette. “Do you want me to go with you to your appointment tomorrow?”

Bucky turned towards her, after that first doctor’s appointment when Steve had taken him out to eat; he had asked if she could go with him whenever she could. She had been nervous when he had asked her. She asked him if something was wrong, but he just shook his head, and said that he just felt like having someone with him that he actually knew and trusted. She had given him a skeptical look, but had dropped the subject.

So whenever he had an appointment, she would ask if he wanted her to go with him. So far he had said yes, every month, but he was thinking about it this time.

“Nah, I’ll be fine.” He finally said.

She looked into his eyes, searching for any sign that he was lying. “Are you sure?”

Smiling, he turned back so that he was looking up at his ceiling. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. No biggie.”

Her phone vibrated in her jeans and she raised it to her ear. “Hello?”

She jumped off the bed, scurrying out of buck’s room. “Yeah! Yeah! I’m on my way! I’ll be downstairs in a sec!” She passed by his door again, purse now in her hand. “Bucky? Yeah, he’s home.” There was a pause, before she poked her head in his entry way. “Clint says hi.”

“Tell him I say hi back”

She nodded, and he heard the front door open. “He says hi. Bucky, I’ll be back later!”

He gave the air a salute, continuing to look up at his ceiling. “Have fun.”

He heard the door close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse
> 
> i'm always a slut for kudos and comments


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ughh

Bucky felt his breath catch at the cold sensation of the gel on his exposed belly.

Steve was standing next to him, the tall alpha chewing lightly on his nails as he waited for the technician to speak. The female beta was quiet till there was an echoing from the machine. Smiling, she moved the stick to the side and an image came onto the screen.

“That’s the heartbeat, and there’s your baby.” 

Steve let the hand by his mouth fall away. 

“Looks like they’re doing good. No signs of distress.” 

Bucky felt an ache in his chest as he saw the look of wonder that Steve got whenever he saw their baby. Shaking his head, he turned back to the beta. It wasn’t ‘their’ baby, he reminded himself. 

She removed the wand from Bucky’s stomach and looked at both of them. “Did you want a picture?” 

Bucky was still looking at the freezed frame still of the baby, when steve answered. “Yes, thank you.”

She gave bucky a look to see if he wanted one as well, but the omega just shook his head. “No, that’s okay.” His voice was quiet, but he took the small rag next to him and wiped off the gel getting the go ahead from the technician. 

“When will we be able to tell the sex?”

Steve asked as the beta waited for the print out and then moved over to where their file was, and looked at it. “Well, we can usually see it by week 20, so i would say we could tell you on your next visit. Would you like me to go ahead and leave a note for the next appointment?” She looked up from Bucky’s file, her brown eyes finding Bucky’s clear gray. “Mister Barnes?” She asked again after a few seconds of silence. 

Bucky was clenching his jaw, he didn’t want to know. He wanted as little information about what was growing inside him as possible, but this wasn’t just his decision. Looking up, he met Steve’s eyes. They were blue and confused at to what the omega was thinking. 

“I think you should decide.” 

Steve completely lowered the hand by his mouth and bucky could smell something off of him that felt like gratitude. Steve smiled gently at him and Bucky had to turn away before he got that ache in his chest that always happened when he thought about the alpha. 

“Thank you, bucky. “ Steve placed his hand gently on Buck’s shoulder and looked back at the technician who was waiting for their answer, a pen in her hands. 

“I think it would be better to keep it a surprise. Until the baby’s born.”

She nodded, and went to write a few notes on the clipboard and stood up to hand over the photo to Steve. Bucky pulled his shirt down, and moved so that his legs were hanging off the side of the table. The beta smiled at them and opened the door. “Well, that’s it for today. your next appointment will be in two weeks, and i’ll go ahead and give your file to Dr. Banner. The receptionist will give you the date once you step out.” And with that she left both of them in the room, the ultrasound machine off and Steve looking at the photo of his unborn child.

Bucky got down from the table and made for the door, wanting to leave and go back to the apartment. 

He heard footsteps not far behind him and knew that Steve was following him to the reception desk. The male omega smiled up at them and typed some things on the computer before handing Bucky and Steve their next appointment date written on a business card. 

They stepped out of the office, and Bucky saw the look on Steve’s face. Like he wanted to say something, but was holding back. Taking pity on the alpha, he stuck his hands in his pockets and turned towards Steve when they were both in the parking lot. 

“Spit it out, Steve. You look like you’re barely keeping whatever it is you want to say in there.” 

The alpha looked guilty for a second, before tucking the picture in his wallet and giving Bucky a smile. “So I know that the last time I asked, something went wrong, but,” He paused searching for the omega’s reaction. “I have the rest of the day off, and was wondering if you wanted to go eat.”

Bucky sighed and tried not to outwardly frown, especially since he was actually starting to like Steve.

“Look, Steve I-”

Holding his hands up in mock surrender, Steve quickly tried again before he was shot down. “I know that last time was bad, and I’m still not sure what happened. But,” He lowered his hands and looked earnestly at Bucky. That feeling in Bucky’s chest happened again and he cursed his hormones. “I want to make up for that, and apologize for what ever i did to upset you.”

Bucky palmed his keys to the apartment in his pocket and swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked into steve’s eyes. 

“Fine”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This time, Steve and him went to some little chinese restaurant that was walking distance from the doctor’s office. When they walked in, the smells assaulted Bucky and made his mouth water.

“Do you want to eat in, or take it to go?” Steve asked as they stood in line. 

Bucky thought about it, and looked around at how little sitting there was. He bit his lip and turned back to the blonde. “Is it okay if we take it to go?”

Steve nodded and took out his wallet, which Bucky made a frown at. He didn’t want Steve to feel like he was a charity case. Steve caught the look, and turned to face him. “Do you want to pay separately? I don’t mind paying.” 

Bucky thought about it, and shook his head. “It’s fine, but i get it next time, okay?” He felt himself blush when Steve smiled and moved up to the cashier, ordering their food. They were given a number and they went to stand against the wall to wait for it. 

Bucky felt his pocket vibrate against him, and took out his phone to see a text from Natasha 

_ [You okay?] _

He sneaked a looked at Steve from the corner of his eye and replied. 

[Fine. Just getting some food.]

_ [Okay, good. Because I’m going to be coming home late. Don’t wait up. Love you.] _

[okay. ]

Tucking the phone back in his pocket, he looked up to see Steve staring at the picture of the ultrasound again. A knot of tension formed in Bucky’s shoulders as he could pick up the happy scent Steve was putting off. 

Steve felt the way Bucky had stiffened up next to him, and looked at him to see what was wrong. Bucky was looking at the picture in his hand, a small frown on his face. 

“You okay?” It was said softly, the sound of customers and plates making it almost unhearable, but Bucky nodded. “I’m fine. It’s just weird.” Bucky bit his lip again, to which Steve’s eyes were drawn to before he looked back at the omega’s troubled gray eyes. 

“That I have a person living inside me. That I have a baby here,” He places his hand over the small bump that was beginning to show, fingers slightly digging into the fabric of his t-shirt. 

“It’s sort of surreal.”

Steve nodded, not really understanding what the other was going through, he never really would, but tried to offer some comfort. He raised his hand, hesitating a second, to see if Bucky didn’t want to be touched, before placing his hand against the other’s shoulder. 

Bucky looked up at Steve, the place where the alpha’s hand was felt warm and Bucky had the fleeting urge to hug Steve. 

“I will never understand what you’re going through, Bucky. But, I want to be able to help you as much as I can.” The thumb to Steve’s hand flicked out, rubbing against his neck, and Bucky momentarily forgot how to breathe. 

“Number 254!” 

Bucky snapped out of whatever they were in and took a step back as Steve went to go get their food order. 

He rubbed a hand over where Steve’s had been and gulped to himself. He knew his face must have been red, but he decided to think about that later. His fingers were tracing where Steve’s thumb had been, and he bit his lip when he bumped against the bundle of nerves just above his collarbone. Where his scenting gland was. Where you would bite a mate. 

Steve came back with two plastic bags and Bucky followed him outside where he was grateful for the cool breeze. 

He knew Steve hadn’t meant anything by it, but his heart wouldn’t stop beating like crazy. 

“Were you going to get on the bus?” Steve asked next to him, hesitating again. “Or...would it be okay if I gave you a ride home?”

Bucky looks at Steve and feels like he’s making the biggest mistake in his life. 

“Y-yeah...that’ll be okay. Thanks, Steve”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The car ride was spent in comfortable silence, bucky trying to calm himself with his music on his phone and Steve calmly driving through the streets. They were already parking when Bucky realised that he hadn’t given Steve directions this time. When he asked, Steve had blushed and said that he had saved it on his gps. 

Steve put the car in park and reached in his back seat to get Bucky’s bag of food. “Here you go.” Bucky settled it on his lap and lightly scratched the side of the container with his nail. Seeing that the other hadn’t unbuckled himself, Steve gave him a questioning look. “You okay?”

Bucky nodded and undid his belt, but stayed in the passenger seat, throwing a look to the back seat where Steve’s own bag of food was sitting. 

“You could come up.”

Steve’s eyes widened as he took in the way the person sitting next to him was looking at him. And then there was the scent that he could tell bucky was trying to reel in. “To eat. If you want to.”

Nervousness and hope. Mixed in with the omega’s own calming scent. 

“Sure. If you’re okay with that?”

Bucky smiled, but it was a little strained. “Yeah, I mean. We are having a baby soon, aren't we? We might as well get to know each other a little better.”

Steve felt himself take a deep breathe at the words Bucky had used, and he felt himself nod. 

Turning the keys in the ignition to turn off the car, Steve reaches into the back seat to get his own bag and unbuckles himself. Bucky opens his door and starts for the door of the apartment, hands shaking a little when he fishes out his keys. 

This would be the first time he would be alone with an alpha, beside Nat, since Rumlow. 

He hears Steve’s car beep to lock and takes a deep breath as he hears the alpha’s footsteps behind him. 

_ ‘He’s not Brock.’  _

He reminds himself when he finally gets the keys to open the door and they step in, having then to walk up to the third floor since the elevator was being maintenanced. He gets to Nat’s front door and unlocks it as well, feeling some of his tension release when the smell of ‘home’  hits him. Steve steps in behind him and stands there a little awkwardly when Bucky locks the door behind him. 

“Um, so where…?”

Steve asks as he lifts up the plastic bag in his hand. Bucky swallows and then tells steve to follow him to the kitchen. They set their food on the table and then Bucky goes to the living room to get the remote, looking back at Steve at the last minute. “Do you mind eating and watching tv?” Steve shakes his head, and asks bucky where the bathroom is. He tells him ,and then Bucky is left surfing through channels until he decides that the news is a good bet for both of them. 

Walking into the kitchen, he opens the fridge and looks at what they have. He looks back at their food, and decides that water would probably be the best bet for Steve. Taking out two bottles, he places them on the table and opens his own food, Mouth watering and stomach growling. 

Steve comes back, wiping his hands against his thighs and smiles when he sees the water. “Thank you.”

Bucky nods and starts to dig into his food, trying not to let this get weird. 

They both are eating and talking here and there, the atmosphere light. Steve turns his head at the tv and has a frown when a company is mentioned by the reporter. 

“Something wrong?” Bucky asks, seeing how Steve positioned his body to completely look at the television. The alpha shakes his head. “No, it’s fine.” He turns back to the table, but keeps an eye on the tv. “It’s work stuff.” He smiles at the brunette.

Bucky nods, letting it go. They finish their meal and it is vastly better than the first time Steve had asked him to lunch. Bucky stands to gather up their mess, which Steve offers to do but is denied by Bucky, and he thinks about something. A chuckle leaves his mouth before he can stop it, and Steve looks at him with a half cocked smile. 

“What’s so funny?”

Bucky throws the bags into the trash and leans against the counter so that he is looking at Steve. 

“I don’t think chinese food was on that list of foods you wanted me to eat.”

Steve’s eyes widen before he laughs and looks down at his feet. “Yeah, well. It’s chinese food. There’s some vegetables thrown in there, so i guess it’s fine.”

Bucky smiles as he crosses his arms across his chest. “How gracious of you.”

They clean up and Bucky uses the restroom before he walks steve to the door. 

The blonde has been smiling since the food list thing, and Bucky feels a warmth that spreads down to his toes whenever he looks at the alpha’s happy face. 

“This was nice.” Steve says as he stops before the door, fiddling with the keys to his car in his hands.  

Bucky nods, feeling like the air around them is simultaneously heavy and light. “Yeah.” 

“Again, next appointment?” Steve says, but he’s looking at the way Bucky is rolling his lips together, before back at his eyes. 

Bucky feels that ache in his chest grew tighter and larger the longer he looks at Steve Like this. 

A key is slotted into the lock of the door, and Bucky realizes how close him and Steve had gotten to each other when the door opens and Nat starts to walk in. 

Only to stop and stare at the two people in her entryway.

Bucky and Steve take a step away from each other and flush. 

“I’m gonna go, so Um…” Steve looks between Natasha and bucky, embarrassed and red faced. “See you in two weeks, Bucky.” He awkwardly walks past Natasha who is still staring at Bucky, keys still in her hand. 

The door closes behind Steve and then the two of them are alone. 

“Look, Nat.”

Her face closes off for a minute, and Bucky knows that he did something bad. 

“I don’t want to hear it.” She says as she tosses her keys into the bowl by the door, and shakes off her jacket to hang in the closet.

“Nat, it’s not…”

She spins around to face him, frown set firmly in place.

“Look, James. I don’t know WHY Steve was here, and I have a feeling I don’t want to know.”

She starts to turn back around, but Bucky grabs a hold of her arm, which she glares at.

“Nat, we were just eating. We got take out after the doctor's appointment and I asked him if he wanted to eat here. It’s not that big-”

“Don’t say that’s it’s not that big of a deal, because it kind of is. Or did you forget that you are going to give your baby to him, James? That you’re his surrogate?”

Bucky swallows the lump in his throat as he takes in her anger and words. He knows why she’s mad, and he can’t blame her. 

“I know.”

“Then why was he up here? I thought you were going to be as unattached to this whole thing as you could. And I got to say, having lunch with him in our apartment isn’t really the best way to distance ourself.”

“I know.” He repeats, but the look on Nat’s face falls when she sees him start to shake. Her hands come up and cup his face, scent switched from the bitterness of anger to worried. 

“Hey...hey, James. What’s wrong? Did something happen while he was-”

“No. It’s just….” He walks into her so that she holds him close. 

“It’s just that there’s this feeling in my chest whenever i’m around him, and he’s just so...he’s just such a nice guy, and i know that he’s probably just being nice because I’m carrying his baby, but I ...I want to be around him, Nat. And I’m scared of that.” Nat stays quiet as she rubs her hands soothingly along his back.

“Because of everything that happened with Brock, and then…”

She tucks his head under her chin and shushes him. 

“Hey, Brock was a grade A asshole. And if the time I’ve spent around Steve is any indication, he genuinely seems like a nice person.” 

Gently moving Bucky so that they were looking at each other. 

“But you are his surrogate, James. You’re pregnant. There’s a baby inside of you, growing. How do you know that it’s not just the instinct to get close to it’s father. It could just be hormones, and you wouldn’t know.”

He listens to her, and knows that she might be right. That she’s usually always right, but that doesn’t make him feel any better.

“I feel drawn to him, and I’m scared.”

She tucks him back into her and pets his hair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UUUUGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHHGHGHGHGH
> 
> leave kudos and comments to feed my family tonight


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @ jibblyuniverse

The next month is hard.

Natasha had sat him down explained to him a whole list of reasons why he was probably feeling the way he was towards Steve, and that not to lose focus on why he was is this situation in the first place.

He continued to go to his appointments by himself, to which Nat had been hesitant about but agreed to. Everything was fine with the baby, better than fine. It was perfectly healthy and growing bigger every day.

His bump had gotten noticeably bigger and he scowled when his pants were getting uncomfortably tight around his waist and hips.

He got a call from the agency and Ms. Foster had wanted to have a kind of checkup appointment with him and Steve at the agency. Bucky had stared at himself in the mirror for a solid fifteen minutes, zipper and button undone, before he admitted that the jeans were just not going to close.

He swore and reached into his dresser for a pair of sweatpants, and angrily pulled them on. He didn’t give a crap what he looked like. Yes, he did.

He called an uber driver to pick him up and gave them the address. The drive didn’t take very long, and when he came to a stop, he paid his driver and exited the car. He glanced at the parking lot and spotted Steve’s Bentley already parked. 

He knew that seeing the car shouldn’t feel him with excitement, but it did. He shook his head and walked inside, the receptionist giving him a warm smile, having already gotten used to him. “Mr. Barnes, thank you for showing up. I’ll go ahead and tell Ms. Foster that you’re here.”

Bucky nodded and stood in front of her as she pressed the intercom on her desk.

“Jane, Mr. Barnes is here.”

There was a click of static and an answering voice on the other line. “ _Okay, great. Let him in Darcy.”_

Standing up, the brunette beta brushed her pencil skirt and lead Bucky to the doors of Jane’s office, opening one for him to step through. Steve was already sitting down, while jane was standing by her filing cabinet. She looks up at him and gives him a smile of her own.

“Hello, James. Thank you for joining us.” She takes a glance at her wrist to look at her watch and her eyes light up in delight. “And right on time, too. Please, have a seat.”

He goes to the chair on Steve’s right, and he tries to ignore the way the blonde is looking at him for a second as he nods in greeting.

Jane steps away from the cabinet and goes to sit at her chair behind her desk, papers neatly stacked in her hands as she lays them on the table. “Well, this meeting is just a checkup. To see how you are doing,” She looks at Steve. “How both of you are doing, since it is a little past the halfway point of the pregnancy.” Turning back to Bucky, she smiles and asks him. “you’re five months along, right?”

He feels himself take in a deep breath and nods. It’s all moving so fast, that he can hardly believe it. It feels like he had signed up to become a surrogate yesterday. But here he is, five months in and catching feelings for the baby daddy. God, he sounds so dumb.

“Is there anything you two need to talk about, or what to discuss? Any changes or thoughts?”

Steve is shuffling in his seat, and they both know that he wants to say something. “Mr. Rogers?”

Steve starts to mess with his hands, and Bucky can see that the blonde is nervous. The alpha turns towards Bucky and the omega can feel that ache in his chest again when the blonde speaks, timid smile on his handsome face.

“I know it’s still early, but I was wondering if you would like to come with me to go looking for stuff for the nursey.”

Bucky’s eyes widen at that, and he doesn’t know what to say. So the first thing that comes out of his mouth isn’t the greatest.

“Don’t you usually get stuff from baby showers or something?”

He wants to hit himself in the face. Steve’s face falls a bit, but he doesn’t seem that bothered by it. “I’m going to be moving out of my apartment pretty soon, and I want to redecorate. And I thought I might as well look into the baby’s room. “

There must be some kind of look on his face, because Jane coughs softly into her hand and they are pulled from looking at each other to look at her instead. “Of course, you don’t need to go if you don’t feel comfortable with that James.”

Bucky takes a deep breath, and thinks it over in his head. It’s just furniture shopping, and he has nothing else he’s going to be doing. “When would you want to go?” He asks Steve and sees how the alpha’s mood physically lifts.

“I was thinking about today actually, since I took the day off. But if you’re busy we could go on Friday.”

Bucky clenches his jaw. “I’m kind of, wearing sweats right now.”

Steve laughs and Bucky hates how much he likes the way it sounds. “I’ll drive you to your apartment so you can change if you want.”

This morning comes back to him and how none of his pants would close, and he just nods, not wanting to draw attention to it more. “Sure”

The rest of the meeting goes by relatively quickly, seeing as both of them are pretty happy with how things are going. The only thing that Steve bring up is if Bucky had thought about living with Steve during the later months of his pregnancy. The brunette had bit the inside of his cheek. “Can I still think about that?”

Steve and Jane are quick to nod. “Of course. There’s no pressure. I just want to be able to be there for you whenever you need me.”

God, doesn’t that just sound great. Bucky thinks as Jane finishes writing on her papers and puts them into a folder. She smiles at them and stands to lead them to the door.

The make their next appointment with Darcy, and then they make their way to Steve’s car. Bucky is trying to think of a way out of going with Steve shopping immediately.

‘This is just great. What the hell am I supposed to tell him?’

Steve starts the engine, and turns to him. “Did you want to change?” It’s just a question, one that Bucky brought on himself, but it feels like he’s sweating. “Uh, I actually have a confession to make.”

Steve sits up straight, nervous tint to his scent as he thinks the omega is about to drop something serious on him. “Are you okay? We don’t have to go, if you’re unc- “

“no, it’s not that.”

Bucky rubs his hands over his face, can someone die of embarrassment?

“My pants don’t fit.” It’s said muffled by his palms, and the car is dead silent.

“Pfft.” It’s a laugh that Steve tries to cover up with a cough, but Bucky still heard it and he knows that his whole face is red.

“It’s not funny, okay. I’m getting huge and none of my clothes are gonna fit at this rate.” He’s pouting, he knows he is. But the smile on Steve’s face as he looks out the windshield could power the whole damn city.

“I’m sorry for laughing.” No he’s not. And he rubs his fingers over his smile, and turns back to Bucky. “If it’ll make you feel better, we can go shopping for clothes too while we’re out.”

Bucky sighs and crosses his arms. “I can’t exactly spring for new jeans, right now.”

Steve is quiet for a few seconds, until he turns to look out the wind shield again. Trying his best to not let his next words come out wrong. “I could buy them for you, if you want. I mean” Steve coughs again, feeling embarrassed. “We’re already going to the shops and well, I want you to be comfortable.”

Bucky is rising his eyebrows higher the more Steve talks.

They stay staring at each other for what feels like forever, the tension in the car thick, until Bucky nods. “Sure.”

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They walk into the baby store first, Bucky seeing all the mated pairs ogling what they want, and feels a twinge of longing.

Steve is all smiles and warmth at his side though, and the blonde, Bucky is surprised to find out, has really simple tastes. It comes as a comfort to know that the blonde isn’t choosing the flashier and expensive items.

The blonde is color coordinating several palettes when Bucky feels his phone vibrate in his back pocket.

His good mood instantly withers and dies when he sees the name on the caller id.

He has a brief moment of thinking that he should just decline the call, but knows that whatever it is, it’s probably important. This was the first time the other has called him in half a year.

Swiping the green arrow, Bucky brings the phone up to his ear and breathes in a deep breath.

“What do you want?”

There’s a chuckle from the other line, and it sends a chill down Bucky’s spine.

_“Hello to you too, Sweetheart.”_

Bucky takes a quick glance at Steve and sees that the alpha is giving him a confused look, probably having scented his bad mood. Bucky makes a gesture and mouths out that he has to take this call. The blonde nod and the omega steps to the more secluded section of the store, where the restrooms are.

“I’m serious, Brock. What is it?”

_“Damn, someone’s in a mood. But I just called to tell you that the first draft of the divorce papers is ready for you to look over.”_

It feels like a stone is sinking in his stomach. It’s not that he forgot that he’s in fact, going through a divorce, it just escaped him recently. He also remembers that he doesn’t have a lawyer of his own.

_“You okay there, Sweetheart?”_

“Don’t call me that! Look, I got the message and I assume your lawyer sent me an email for my confirmation?”

_“Not yet, but I’ll tell him to send it right over. You can go ahead and pick the day even. Ain’t I nice?”_

“Oh yeah, you’re the best. You fucking asshole.” Bucky hangs up and shoves the phone in his back pocket. He starts to pace along the small corridor where the restrooms are, before he pushes open the men’s door and goes for the stall.

Steve finds him several minutes later, Bucky puking into the toilet from stress and nerves.

The blonde is instantly worried and gently taps against the stall door. “Buck, are you okay? If you don’t feel good, we can leave. I’ve already picked out some stuff and- “

Bucky flushes the toilet, not really feeling any better but standing up and opening the door anyway. Steve steps aside and watches as the omega walks to the sink, cups his hands and rinses his mouth to get the taste out of his mouth.

Steve looks lost for a second, before stepping up to him and placing a hand against his back, making soothing circles.

“Are you okay?” the question is said softly, and Bucky nods before thinking better of it and shakes his head no.

“Do you feel sick, or is it something else?”

“It’s nothing, but can you take me home?”

Steve nods. “Yeah, of course.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve had taken Bucky home after that, walking him to the door of the apartment, and asking I the omega was sure he was okay.

Bucky had nodded and told him he’d call if anything happened.

After that, Bucky went to his computer and opened his emails and sure enough there it was.

His confirmation pending on the first meeting of his divorce.

Natasha had gotten home to him blankly staring at the dark screen and had been immediately alarmed hen furious as he told her what happened. She had given him a massage and told him that she’d be there with him when he went. He was grateful, but he still needed to find a lawyer.

The thought of calling Steve and asking for some kind of advantage struck him, but he instantly shot it down. This was only the first draft and he still needed to say some of his terms as well. The next meetings were when he was going to need some support, but he told himself that him going alone this time was fine.

He set it up on Monday the next week, and when he got there, it was the complete opposite of fine.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

He stepped through the office of Brock’s lawyers firm and he saw the way his former mate’s smirk fell right off his face.

He stood up and went walking straight for Bucky, to which Natasha put herself between them.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Rumlow?” Natasha’s voice was bitter cold, and if it had been directed at him, he would have flinched.

“Me? Are you serious, Romanov? What about HIM? Or didn’t you notice that he’s fucking pregnant!”

Bucky did flinch at that, and he balled his fists. “That’s none of your business.”

Brock huffed and smiled at Bucky. “Really? Because we’re technically still married Sweetheart. Or did he spread your legs for the first alpha that passed you by as soon as you moved out?”

A fight broke out between Nat and Brock, and if Bucky was being honest, he didn’t really do anything to stop Natasha from punching the other alpha in the face along with other places.

The lawyer had to call security and the two alphas were separated from each other, Brock obviously getting the worse end of the stick, and Bucky couldn’t help feeling his love for her all over again.

Brock didn’t forget about him though, far from it.

“You’re so pathetic, you know that? I can’t believe I ever married you.”

The words stung more than he should have let them, but Brock has always been able to make him feel like nothing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave kudos and comments to help feed my family


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse

_Steve’s rubbing his hands over the warm swell of the omega’s belly, placing stray kisses against the skin. The person under him sighs and Steve feels the legs that are cradling either side of him open up more to give him more room._

_The air around him is sweet and content, it makes him groan and lightly nip at the exposed belly button of his partner._

_The body under him jerks and a whine slips past the omega’s lips. Steve smiles and kisses the other’s tummy one more time, leaning back between those open thighs. He cups the underside of both knees and gently lifts them to his shoulders._

_The other’s chest starts to rise and fall faster as he pants, and Steve drags his cheek against the hard dick of his partner. There are more whines and then Steve starts to suckle at the tip of the dick._

_“fuck!” the voice groans and Steve starts to slowly take in inch by inch the warm organ in his mouth. “Fuck, Steve.”_

_The alpha trails his eyes up the other’s body, until it lands on his face. Grey eyes meet his and then Steve swallows the rest of the length that’s in his mouth._

Steve jolts awake and pants as the view of his bedroom slowly starts to come into focus. Shifting his legs, he grimaces at the feeling in his boxers and curses under his breath. Throwing the covers from himself, he stands up and gets out of bed. Making his way to the bathroom and rubbing his hand over his face, groaning.

He flicks on the light and squints as he tries to adjust to the brightness. Turning the faucet, he cups his hands under the water and brings it to his face. He grabs the small hand towel that hangs to the side of the sink and uses it to quickly dry his face, before he places his hands on either side of the bow and stares at himself in the mirror.

He can still remember how sweet Bucky was in his dream. Turning off the lights, he made his way back to his bedroom and threw himself on the bed.

“It’s just pregnancy bonding, Rogers. Get your shit together.”

\--------------------------------------------------

Steve is in a briefing with Tony and some other people in the company when he gets a text on his phone.

_Bucky [Can I talk to you later?]_

He must make a face, because Tony is eyeing him from the other side of the table and mouthing if something’s up. He ignores the curious omega and replies to Bucky under the table.

_Steve [In the middle of a meeting. Can I call you in ten minutes?]_

He hits send, and thinks about why Bucky would be contacting him. Outside of doctor’s appointments, and checkups from the agency, they haven’t really spent time together.

The time that Steve brought Bucky to look for furniture for the nursery comes back to him, and he bites the inside of his cheek. The omega had gone from content to stressed out. He remembered how Bucky had excused himself to take a call, and then Steve found him throwing up in the restroom.

_Bucky [Yeah. That’s fine.]_

Steve places the phone back into his pocket and tries to pay attention to what the people around him are saying, but all he can think about, is if something’s up with Bucky.

He’s staring at his watch every couple of seconds, wiling the meeting to end and then everyone around him stands up to dismiss themselves. Steve’s already walking towards the elevators to go to his office, when he feels Tony come up beside him.

The omega is waving a hand in front of his face as they wait for the elevator to reach their floor. Steve frowns at the gesture and gently lowers the hand in front of his face. “What is it, Tony?” The light above the elevator door dings and then the doors are opening and the both of them are stepping in.

The omega huffs and puts his hands in his pockets as they each press their respective floors. “Well, someone’s in a mood.” Steve ignores the sentence and takes out his phone, scrolling through the contact list.

Tony is looking at the bright screen and how it stops on a name he doesn’t recognize, when Steve presses the green call button. “Who’s Bucky?”

Steve rises the phone to his ear and looks at Tony for a while before answering, trying to figure out wat to call the other omega. “My surrogate.”

Tony’s eyebrows rise and he looks back at the steadily climbing numbers on the elevator screen. “Is everything, alright?” He says, tone now worried as he watches Steve waits for the phone to pick up.

Steve is in the middle of a shrug, when the line picks up. “Hey! Is…Oh, hello Natasha. This is Steve and I um,”

The elevator opens and Steve gets out on his floor, Tony still in the elevator mouthing to the alpha to calm down. That everything is fine, and then the doors close with tony still inside the elevator.

“Is Bucky there? He had texted me earlier that he wanted to talk about something, and I was just…I’m calling to see if everything’s okay.” He knows he sounds nervous, but the other alpha on the line hasn’t said anything since he said his name, and it’s making the little hairs on the back of his neck start to stick to his skin with sweat.

_“Bucky’s in the restroom. He should be out in a bit. Do you want to wait or call back in a bit?”_

Her voice is calm, and He takes in a deep breath to ground himself. “I’ll uh…I’ll wait.” He walks down the hallway and sees Sam typing away on his laptop. The beta looks up at Steve’s footsteps and Steve gestures for a pen and paper. Steve can hear Natasha knocking on something and telling Bucky that he’s on the phone.

Sam gives the alpha his clipboard and pen from his desk and gestures to the phone, mouthing who is it?

Steve writes down his note on the paper telling Sam to hold all calls and meetings until he finishes taking this call, and Sam nods as Steve goes to his office, closing the door behind him.

There’s some shuffling on the other line of the phone, before he hears the omega’s voice through the line.

_“Steve?”_

Steve tries not to let the way hearing Bucky call his name flare up his scent, and sits down behind his desk. “Hey, I got your text. Is everything okay?”

There’s the sound of a door closing on the phone and then Bucky is talking to him again, voice cautious.

_“I actually need to ask you something. You know how…”_ There’s a deep breath on the other line before he continues. _“As you know, I am currently going through a divorce.”_

Steve nods, before he realizes that Bucky can’t see him and he confirms. “Yeah.”

_“Well, my husband or soon to be ex-husband,”_ Steve tries not to let the fact that Bucky has an alpha out there bother him as much as it does. The omega isn’t his. _“has started to arrange meeting to finalize our divorce, but I don’t have…. I…”_

Bucky is struggling with getting the words out and Steve can guess what the omega is trying to say. “Buck, do you have a divorce lawyer yet?”

It’s a few seconds before Bucky responds, his voice accompanied by a heavy sigh.

_“No, I don’t. Look, Steve. I don’t want to come off as- “_

“Are you at home?” Steve interrupts and he’s already organizing his briefcase with his belongings.

Bucky’s confused when he responds. _“Yeah, I’m at home, but what does that have to do with this?”_

Steve closes the lid of his case and stands up, not in a rush but ready to leave. Going to stand beside his windows, Steve looks down the street to a building. “Bucky, I know a couple of good lawyers if you want. They’re some of the best in the city and they’ll take care of you. Make sure you don’t get screwed over, and I can get them to see you today if you want. “

Bucky is quiet on the other line for a bit, until there’s some more shuffling. It sounds like he’s talking to someone, but he can’t make out what the words are. The omega is more than likely speaking to Natasha, and then Bucky’s back on the line.

_“Steve that sounds great, it really does. But If these guys are as good as you say, then they’ll be expensive as hell.”_

“I’ll take care of it.”

_“Steve, you don’t have to do that. I just a lawyer, nothing too fancy.”_

“Buck, I want to make sure you’re taken care of.”

It’s quiet on the line for what feels like a couple of minutes, before he hears Bucky agree to meet with the lawyers.

Steve starts to tell Bucky the address, but then the omega is backtracking as he speaks more with Natasha.

_“Can I set up a meeting another day?”_

“Is something wrong?”

_“It’s just…Nat has to go to work right now, and I kind of don’t want to go by myself. Friday would be better.”_

It’s Monday, right now and Steve looks down at his watch. “I can go with you.”

_“What?”_

Steve swallows down the lump in his throat as he continues. “I can pick you up and go with you to meet with the lawyers. I just have to call them and give them a heads up, so they can tell us what time to be there.”

_“This is kind of a …. This is personal, and I don’t want it to get weird.”_

Steve is already grabbing the handle of his briefcase and walking towards the door. “It won’t. I promise. Just want you to get the best, Buck.”

Steve is standing in front of Sam waiting for Bucky’s reply.

_“Okay, then. I guess…yeah, we can go.”_

“Okay, I’ll go ahead and give them a call and then tell you the time.”

_“Thank you, Steve.”_

_“No problem. See you in a bit.”_

He hangs up and turns towards Sam, the beta has an eyebrow raised. “You going out?”

“Yeah, do I have anything lined up today?”

Sam types on the keys of his laptop, before turning back to the alpha. “You have to file your report of the last quarter, but other than that no.”

Steve is scrolling through his contacts again, looking for the law firm. “Is it okay if I send you the file through email, and you send it in?”

Sam nods. “Yeah, that’s fine.” Steve brings the phone to his ear, already walking towards the elevators. “Then once I send it and you turn it in, you can go home, Sam.”

The beta is looking at his retreating back.

The doors open up and he steps inside, the line picks up and Steve smiles at the familiar voice.

_“Law office of Murdock and Nelson.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave kudos and comments to help feed my family


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Natasha has her arms crossed against her chest and Bucky doesn’t even have to scent the air to know that she is irritated.

“I can miss work.”

“no, you can’t.” Bucky’s voice is as stern as he can make it. She had already used her day off to go with him to the meeting with brock and she didn’t have another one for a week. “It’ll be fine, Nat. I promise. Steve’s just trying to help.”

The alpha huffs and throws her hands in the air in surrender. “Fine! But I don’t want to come home and find you hung up.”

Bucky glares at her, and she pinches her fingers in the space between her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you, but I know that you have feelings for Steve right now. And this whole thing with Brock, It’s just…. It’s just a bunch of stress that I don’t want you to be under. That you don’t need.”

Bucky softens his face and comes to stand besides her. “I now, Nat. I know that you want to help me and you are doing the best you can. Hell, we both are. Steve wants to help, and if that means getting some lawyers to help get Brock the hell away from me, then that’ll be great.”

She’s nodding, knowing that he’s right, but she also knows about the feelings that the omega is starting to develop for the blonde alpha.

“Just…. Just remind yourself who Steve really is to you, James. I don’t want you getting hurt.” Her voice settles at the hurt look on his face, but she needs him to hear it. “This could all be pregnancy bonding. You seeing that Steve is a strong capable alpha, who is able to take care of both you and the pup. “

Bucky nods, his scent reeks of depression. “I know.”

Nat hugs him, letting him bury his nose in her neck, before she hears the alarm on her phone ring. “I got to go to work.”

She holds Bucky at arms’ length, her hands rubbing at his shoulders. “Tell me about the lawyers when I get home, alright?” She looks at him, a small smile on her face. Bucky nods and she pulls him into a quick hug before she’s getting her purse from the couch and heading for the door.

Bucky looks after her and locks the door when she’s gone. He’d come clean to Nat about his feelings towards Steve, or at least the beginnings of his feelings for Steve and to say she wasn’t happy about it was an understatement.

He knew it was a bad idea, and it was probably going to bite him in the ass, but he couldn’t stop. He’d catch himself daydreaming. The feeling of warm hands cradling his head and he’d feel Steve kiss him. The tips of his toes curling as he let himself be swaddled in the scent of the alpha. There were other dreams, too. Where he’d woken up with an aching hard on in between his legs and slick dripping out of him.

His phone rang and he saw that the caller id said it was Steve. Swiping at the green icon, Bucky brought the phone up to his ear and answered. “Hello?”

“ _So I was able to get in touch with the two lawyers I told you about, but they won’t be to see us until 4pm. “_

Bucky looked at the time on his screen and how it read 12:58pm. They still had a couple of hours.

 _“So, since we had time….”_ Steve coughs on the other end of the phone. “ _I know the moment’s pasted, but I was wondering if you still needed to buy clothes.”_

The question is so out of left field that it actually makes Bucky laugh. To think that Steve still thought about how he didn’t have any clothes that actually fit him comfortably anymore. The trip to the shop last time had been cut short because of Brocks phone call.

“I do, actually.” Bucky’s smiling and he walks through the apartment and makes his way to the living room, where he plants himself on the couch.

_“Oh, okay! Did you want to maybe…? Go today. Since there’s still a bit of time before the appointment.”_

Bucky let’s his gaze drift down to his stomach, how it protrudes and how his shirt isn’t large enough to stop the bottom of his belly to peek through the hem. He lightly drags his fingertips over his belly, liking how the gently pressure feels against his skin.

“I wouldn’t mind… I’m kind of running out of sweatpants to wear at this point.”

_“Okay, Well. I’ll go ahead and pick you up. Then we can go buy whatever you need.”_

Steve’s offer to pay for his clothes and now the fancy pancy lawyers they were going to meet later on. Bucky shifted a bit at the thought of Steve showing this much effort on him. Nat’s words came back to him, and he wished he could just be detached.

“Sounds like a plan.”

_“I’ll call you when I’m outside.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next ch TOMORROW bc this is soo short  
> please leave comments and kudos for my starving asss


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Bucky tried to find something that he didn’t look like he was busting out of it, but he sighed as he was one again stuck wearing sweatpants. He raised his hands to his belly, and let his fingers roam over the swollen area. He continued to look at himself in the mirror. The initial distress he had felt about getting bigger had died down a little, and he let himself accept that he was going to be a planet. Turning to the side, Bucky viewed his profile and sighed.

Poking at his stomach he reminded himself that there was a little person growing inside of him.

There was vibrating on his dresser, and he saw that his phone was lighted up with a call. Dropping his hands from his stomach, Bucky picked up the phone. “Hey.” He was stuffing his wallet in his back pocket, figuring it was Steve calling that he was here.

_“I’m outside. You want me to go up and get you or…?”_

Bucky huffed out a laugh and he got the keys to the apartment from the bowl in the hallway. “No, I’m already leaving. Be there in a sec.”

_“Okay. See you.”_

The words were said a little awkwardly and Bucky smiled at how Steve’s clumsiness put him at ease. Locking up the apartment, he hung up and started to go downstairs. The sun’s bright when he opens the door to the street, and then he sees Steve standing outside of his car, looking and typing something on his pone.

The alpha’s head looks up as he hears Bucky shut the door behind him, and Steve gives Bucky a smile that makes that little feeling in the omega’s chest flare up.

Walking up to Steve, he gives him his own smile. “Hey.” Steve tucks his phone in his back pocket and gives the brunette his full attention. “Work?” Bucky asks, referring to Steve’s phone.

The blonde nods and pushes off the car to let Bucky open the passenger door. “Yeah, just sending something to my assistant. You ready? Anywhere you want to go in particular?”

Bucky shakes his head, and opens the door, seeing that Steve holds it open while he sits down. A small smile on the omega’s face, he looks up at the blonde from where he’s still holding the door open. “If you’re still treating me, you can choose.” It’s light and Steve let’s his own smile grow at Bucky’s good mood.

“Watch your feet.” Steve says as he closes the door for Bucky and walk around to the driver’s side. Getting in the car, Steve backs out of the parking space and then theyre off.

\-----------------------------------------------

They go to the same area of shops that they had gone to before. Walking past some other stores, Bucky spots the nursery store they had gone to last time.

He feels a little guilty for what had happened, but Steve had told him that he had already gotten most of the stuff and not to worry about it.

Bucky was a little self-conscious being out in his sweats in these nicer stores, but Steve’s scent of contentment was easing his nerves a little. They walk into a store that has a variety of styles but they look to be organized by day and night wear. Bucky instantly feels like he shouldn’t be in the store.

He’s about to tell Steve that he’d be fine with anything, but then a gentleman turns the corner and smiles at them. The older man perks up some when he sees Steve. “Mr. Rogers, how nice of you to visit us again. What may I help you with today?”

Steve places his hands against each of Bucky’s shoulders, smile on his handsome face. “Hello, Jarvis. Today’s not for me, but for my….” Steve struggles a little as he tries to come up with something to call Bucky. “My friend” He settles for and both Steve and Bucky feel like the word is wrong.

The older beta looks at Bucky, and Bucky waits for him to give him some sort of disdainful look, but it doesn’t come. Instead Jarvis nods and politely extends his hand to led them towards the back of the store.

The beta’s accented voice filling the air of the store as they follow him. “I would imagine that it is pregnancy that you are looking for, Mr.….?” Jarvis looks at Bucky to which the omega nods and gives him his name. “Uh, Barnes, but you can call me Bucky if you want. I’d actually prefer it.”

Jarvis gives him a smile and then they are in the section of the store that has both children and maternity clothes. It is separated by female and male sections and then Jarvis points to an area that has three full mirror. Gesturing to the measuring tape around his neck, Jarvis asks if Bucky would like to be measured.

Bucky doesn’t really know what to do, because the only time he was ever measured for anything was for his tux for his wedding. The brunette looks behind him to see if maybe Steve can give him a little nudge, but the alpha is no longer behind him.

Turning around, he scans the store for the blonde and spots him over in the baby area. He’s ideally looking at some onesies.

Jarvis coughs softly to get Bucky’s attention back on him, and Bucky flushes at being rude to the beta. “Uh, sorry! I just…I’m not really sure how this is supposed to work.” He gives the older man a nervous smile and Jarvis nods in understanding.

“Well, Mr. Barnes. There are two ways in that we can go about this. Option one is I measure you and ask for any kind of color or material preferences that you may have. Or you can browse the store yourself. Either way is fine.”

Bucky looks back at Steve and the happy look on the alpha’s face when he sees a cute little baby outfit. He doesn’t want to be just picking things out, so he tells Jarvis that he’ll go ahead and be measured.

There’s a little stand for him to step on, and Jarvis pulls the measuring tape off his neck. He raises his hands over Bucky’s belly and looks up at the omega. “May I?” Asking for permission before touching him.

Bucky nods and only flinches a little at the initial contact. He stays perfectly still as the tape is pressed to different parts of his body, but he’s grateful for the distraction of Jarvis asking him questions about what he would like be picked out.

Bucky stays with the basics. Cotton and demin, the jeans having elastic waistbands and the shirts made of a stretchy material so that it fit comfortably over his stomach. Jarvis had suggested some pastels because Bucky’s clothes were all mostly neutrals. The brunette agreed and the beta went to go pick out some more outfits for him to see.

Steve finally turned up, smirking at how Bucky was still on the small platform but in different clothes, “Those look comfy.”

Bucky laughed at stuck his finger between the jeans and his hip, pulling to test to give of the elastic. “Well, I’m only getting bigger. comfort is essential.”

the felt the hairs on his neck stand up and Bucky sees that Steve is closer to him now. “Just saying, you look good.” Their eyes lock and Bucky wants more than anything to kiss Steve.

Bucky’s whole body jerks and he quickly looks down at his stomach, hand coming to cover it. Steve takes a step back at the quick actions and his eyes widen as he looks to where Bucky is pressing his hand.

“Is everything okay? Do you fe- “Steve is ready to leave immediately if something is wrong, but Bucky just shakes his head. His own grey eyes wide with amazement.

“I think. I think it just kicked.”

Steve is staring at Bucky’s tummy, taking in a deep breath. “the baby?” The words are said softly but Bucky feels them like a live wire down his spine.

He nods and he sees Steve’s hand reach up before stopping right above his own hand. Steve looks at Bucky’s face and there’s a hurricane of emotions fluttering in those blue eyes. “Can I feel?”

Bucky’s eyes scan over Steve’s face and he feels himself nod, dropping his own hand from his stomach to make room for Steve.

The blonde presses his right hand on the side of the swell of Bucky’s stomach and a smile breaks out on the blonde’s face when Buck jerks again, the baby kicking. Steve brings up his other hand and his thumbs are gently rubbing into the sensitive skin. “They’re moving.”

All Bucky can do is numbly nod, it’s all hitting him again but this time hard. This is the first time the baby’s kicked him. There’s a baby inside him. With legs and arms and a heartbeat. And it belongs to the alpha in front of him.

Steve must sense his shift in mood, because he goes from staring at Bucky’s stomach in wonder to looking up at the omega in worry. “Hey” he lets his hands fall from the warm skin in front of him, and takes in the pinched expression that Bucky has. “Buck, hey. What’s wrong?”

Jarvis comes back with arms full out different outfits, and Bucky grits his teeth. Everything making his skin itch. “I’m fine. I’ll just pick like three things and we can leave. It’s almost time to go right?”

Steve is still looking at him, worried, but he checks his phone for the time. “We still got an hour.”

“I’ll just take two pairs of jeans and a shirt.” Bucky says, exhausted all of a sudden.

Steve shakes his head, trying to figure out what happened. “It’s okay, Buck. I said I’d pay for it. You can get whatever you want. Don’t even worry about it.” Jarvis is still standing there, an arm full of outfits when Bucky sighs. He brings his fingers to message the bridge of his nose and just nods at Steve. “Fine. Just pick whatever. I’ll wear it.” Stepping down from the platform, Bucky walks up to Jarvis and starts to the shirt he’s wearing over his head to give to him.

Bucky ignores the little bit of self-consciousness that he feels when he changes out of the new clothes and back into his sweats in front of Steve and Jarvis. He feels a migraine starting up.

Steve politely asks if Jarvis can ring up any outfits that he thinks what be good that they chose.

Bucky asks Steve if he has any Tylenol to which the blonde says that he has some in his car. Steve pays and they make their way back to the parking lot.

Once they’re in the car, Bucky takes two pills and breathes in a lungful of air to steady himself. Steve is worried about what was going through the omega’s mind, but when the blonde says that they can always reschedule the meeting Bucky shakes his head.

Trying to go back to the comfortable atmosphere they had before. The brunette tries to crack a smile and tells Steve that he’s alright, just a little tired and that they were already out.

They make it to the law office about ten minutes early. A pretty blonde telling them that the two lawyers will see them in a second.

The four of them shake hands when Steve and Bucky are allowed inside the office, and it only takes a second for the shock of one of the lawyers being blind to leave. Steve mostly keep to himself once the introductions are over with, letting Bucky talk more in depth with Matt and Foggy.

There are times when the omega threw side glances over at Steve, but for the most part, they ignore each other. Sam calls him during the middle of it, and Steve stands up to excuse himself. Giving Bucky some privacy to talk with the lawyers as he takes his call.

It’s just a reminder of his schedule for tomorrow, and Steve thanks Sam while he takes a seat in the waiting room.

It takes about an hour, before the doors open up and the three of them step out. Bucky shakes both betas hand and thanks them for their time.

Spotting Steve, the omega smiles and walks over as Steve stands up. Bucky seems calmer now, if only a little nervous. “Everything go okay in there?”

The brunette nods and says how both of the lawyers had come up with a game plan on how to go about the divorce. They’re going down in the elevator when Steve notices the time.

“I’ve kept you out all day and we haven’t even eaten.”

It’s said teasingly, and Bucky smiles at the reflective doors in front of them. “It’s fine. I’ll just make something when I get home. Nat won’t be back till late, so I might even order something.”

Steve has that look on his face like he wants to say something, so Bucky asks. “what?”

“Well, it’s just…I live pretty close to here.”

Bucky looks up at Steve, trying to follow where the conversation is headed.

“Yeah? Well, I Kinda don’t.” Bucky says with a smirk. Steve laughs and the doors open as they reach the lobby. Stepping out to let other people in, Steve starts speaking again.

“I know THAT. I was just wondering if you wanted to maybe come over to eat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos plz  
> brock interaction nxt ch


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Steve sees how Bucky’s mouth opens and closes for a second. The omega’s eyes flickering over his face and Steve can feel how he’s holding his breath.

“We ate at your place last time, so I was just….” Steve shuffles on his feet and can feel heat creep up the back of his neck. “Well, it’s just an idea. We don’t have to go if y- “

“Okay.”

Steve turns his head to look at Bucky. “Okay?”

The brunette nods, and looks back at the elevator doors, smiling. “But it better be some good food, because I actually am starving.”

There’s a grin spreading on his face at the other’s acceptance and he laughs to himself. “Well, my cooking’s okay, but if you’re looking for something gourmet, we’re going to have to pick it up.”

The doors open up and they step out, the sun is almost touching the tops of the buildings with the time. “I could go for some okay cooking.”

Steve is looking at how Bucky sucks on his lip for a second and looks up at Steve from under his lashes. It’s probably not done on purpose, but the little flare of the omega’s scent has him feeling warmth throughout his entire chest. “Okay cooking, it is.”

\------------

They walk into Steve’s apartment, and Bucky is reminded that, oh yeah, Steve’s rich.

Bucky looks around at the huge open layout that has the front enterance, living room, and kitchen. There’s probably a whole lot that he can’t see, because there are hallways and rooms to either side of him. But he just can’t stop looking at the wall of massive windows that take up the other part of Steve’s apartment.

“Wow, that’s some view.”

Steve laughs and locks the door behind them, before walking towards the kitchen. “It gives good light.”

Bucky walks a little closer to the windows and sees how there’s a sliding door and balcony too. “I’ll bet.”

He peers over the view and then his attention is caught by the boxes that he sees scattering around the floor. There’s writing in black marker for most of them, labeling them for certain rooms. “you just move in?”

Steve was looking in his fridge but closes one of the double doors to look at Buck. “Yeah, I wanted to have a change in scenery. And this place is closer to my friends, so it’s good. “Steve pulls out some different things from the fridge and looks up at Bucky, smile on his face as he starts to unwrap something from the freezer. “Feel free to look around, if you want. It’s going to be a while.”

Bucky nods back, and turns back to towards the living room. It’s large, but pretty simple. There’s a television mounted on the wall over a white brick fireplace, and a large sectional couch that is a vivid blue. The floors are some kind of light wood, and there’s a multicolored rug that ties in everything. There’s a couple Knick knacks, but Bucky suspects that most of them are still in boxes.

Walking a little more into the apartment, Bucky decides to go into one of the hallways. He doesn’t really need to turn on the hall lights, because all the doors are open and light is pouring in from the windows. He pads around, aimlessly walking around as sounds from the kitchen get louder, and the smell of something on the stove wafts through the apartment. He’s peeked into most of the rooms, more of unopened boxes and unwrapped furniture, until he comes to a study.

The office looks like it’s actually fully done, but considering how much Steve worked, this would be one of the finished rooms.

There’s three large shelves against the walls. One looks like it is just stacked with different books, the other journals, and the third one has a series of folders inside a glass case. There’s little picture frames on the shelves and Bucky smiles when he sees what he assumes is a young Steve. He’s skinny and small, eyes bigger than his face and smile a mile wide. There’s more, and they look like they could be family from the way they share resemblances with Steve.

There’s one of a brunette and a redheaded woman with Steve on some kind of island, and the water behind them is crystal clear turquoise.

Looking at the large desk, Bucky spots a few more frames and walks around to see them as well. The smile that had been ghosting on his face slips a little when he spots someone who wasn’t in the other pictures.

There’s a brunette woman and she is hugging Steve in one picture and kissing him in the other. She is beautiful and Bucky feels like he’ done enough looking for the day. A heavy feeling settling in his stomach.

The smell of food is stronger now that he’s out of the hallway, and he sees how Steve is maneuvering the pots and pans on the stove.

It takes about thirty minutes until Steve says that the food is ready. Bucky smiles as the blonde plates him his food and sits beside him on the bar rather than going to sit at the table. The picture of the woman in Steve’s study is lingering in the back of his head, but he tries to ignore it and pay attention to Steve.

Bucky can tell that the alpha feels at ease in his home, and it makes the atmosphere surrounding them comfortable. He didn’t really know what Steve made him, but considering the other’s diet, it was a solid guess that it was vegan and probably a little pricey. It was good and warm and settled in Bucky’s belly gently.

After eating, Steve asked if it was okay for him to watch some of the stock markets on tv, and Bucky almost laughed. “It’s your house, Steve. Don’t have to ask me for permission.”

Steve grinned, and was embarrassed. “Don’t want to be rude while I’m hosting, you know. It’ll only be a couple of minutes, and then we can head off, if you want.”

Bucky smiled and offered to do the dishes while Steve walked into the living room to grab the remote and turn on the television, but Steve just shook his head. “Nah, I got it.”

Bucky let Steve take his plate and sat at the bar just watching Steve’s hands cleaning their plates, before he hopped off the stool and decided to sit on the couch. There’s the markets on the screen, but Bucky contents himself with looking through his phone. Natasha texted him to ask if everything went alright with the lawyers, to which he replied. The couch dipped to his side, and he turned to see that Steve had also sat down, there was a space between them, and then they fell into comfortable silence. The numbers on charts on the screen changed and changed and Bucky noticed how the sun was setting.

Steve’s living room was bathed in the light and Bucky smiled at the colors that the sky turned before the sun dipped below the line of buildings.

The baby kicked again, and Bucky handled it a little better than earlier. He just froze up for a second, and took a deep breath. He told Steve and the alpha lit up and asked if he could touch.

Bucky leaned back against the material of the couch, as Steve rubbed at his belly feeling the little pushes that were coming from inside of him.

_‘Breathe in. Breathe out.’_

That was his mantra throughout the whole kicking, and then the baby decided to go back to sleep or whatever unborn babies did when then weren’t kicking their moms in the kidneys.

Steve was practically radiating happy alpha and Bucky almost nodded off with how good it made him feel.

It was late when Bucky got a call on his phone, and he almost picked it up, thinking it was Natasha. But he spotted the caller id, and scowled. It was Rumlow. Bucky turned off the volume and put it back in his pocket. It rang one more time, before the whistle of a voicemail sounded.

Steve didn’t ask who it was, and Bucky was glad but he felt exhausted and asked to be taken home.

Steve nodded easily and stood up, offering his hand to Bucky’s and it made the omega laugh. They locked up Steve’s apartment, and went back to the car. Steve was still pumping out those warm scents, and Bucky let them wash over him as he nodded off in the car every couple of minutes.

Steve didn’t live particularly close to where he did, so the ride was a good chuck of minutes, until he could feel the familiar turns and speed bumps of his neighborhood. He kept his head tilted back and his eyes closed, until he could feel Steve slowing down.

They pulled into a parking spot and Bucky undid his seatbelt and turned towards Steve. He smiled, and Steve smiled back at him.

“Thanks for making me dinner.”

“thanks for letting me.”

Bucky couldn’t help but feel like, if this was a movie, this would be a good moment to lean in and kiss Steve. But he just laughed. “And for everything else that happened today. With the clothes, and the lawyers. Especially the lawyers. I can’t tank you enough, Steve.”

Steve nodded and Bucky saw how he placed his hand over Bucky’s. “If you ever need anything, don’t be afraid to ask. If I can help, I will.”

Bucky nodded, butterflies in his throat at the little squeeze that Steve gave his hand, before the blonde undid his own seatbelt. “Walk you up?” Steve asked, that little color rising to his face. He threw a look in the back. “I’ll carry your clothes.”

Bucky couldn’t help the way he smiled and ducked his head, biting his lips. “Yeah. Walk me up.”

Steve took the keys out of the ignition and they got out of the car. Steve going to the trunk to take out the bags, while Bucky waited for him against the passenger door.

The trunk closes and then Bucky pushes himself away from the car, reaching into his pockets for his keys as they walk down the sidewalk towards Bucky’s and Nat’s apartment. He can see the first steps of his building and a pair of boots.

Looking up, Bucky’s mood drops to his ankles. Rumlow is there, sitting on the steps of his building, looking straight at Steve.

“Brock, what the hell are you doing here?” Bucky does his best not to panic, but Brock stands up, dusting off the back of his jeans and scowling.

“Oh, me? Babe, I’m here because I got a call from my lawyer today.”

Steve had been standing there, confused to who Bucky was talking to, but the mention of lawyers tipped something off in his head.

“Was a little all over the place, because apparently some hot shots called him up to set up a meeting. On your behalf.”

“Brock, you need to leave.”

“Why? I’m here to talk to you, and since you didn’t answer me when I called you earlier, I’m here in person.” He spread his arms out to prove his point, but the smile on his face made the hairs on the back on Bucky’s neck stand up

“And I was wondering, how’d you get these guys? This law firm when I know a sweet face like yours don’t have that kind of money.” Brock takes a step down and Bucky moves a little in front of Steve.

“Brock.” He tried to put as much of his voice into it as he could, but he could smell how Steve’s scent was changing.

“And I think I know, now. So,” Brock is on the sidewalk, and Steve is straight as an arrow when they are only two feet away from each other. “I guess I know who got to knot that sweet little ass. “

Bucky didn’t know what to do as Steve maneuvers Bucky behind him. The situation is bad, and Brock leans in a little, grin on his face. “How was the little slut? Never that great of a lay when we did it, but I guess a hole is a ho-“

The punch was loud and then the two of them where at each other’s throats.

“Stop! Hey!” Bucky was panicking as Steve was punched in the jaw.

The commotion drew the attention to some of the people that were still on the sidewalk, and Bucky pushed against both of their shoulders to try and pry them apart, but they didn’t budge.

Steve backed Brock into the wall of the building and shoved him. “Apologize to him.” It was all alpha command and Bucky shivered. This was bad. This was so bad.

“Aw, come on big guy. Buck knows that he’s a little slu- “Steve shoved him against, and Brock head connected with the brick and he swore.

_“Apologize.”_

“Steve, let him go.” Bucky pleaded and the blonde clenched his jaw. “Buck…”

“Let. Him. Go. He’s just an asshole, and you knocking him into my building ain’t gonna change that.” Bucky moved, so that he was in Steve’s line of sight, and place his hand on the alpha’s arm that had Brock held against the wall. “come on, Steve.”

Taking in a deep breath, Steve released Brock and the other alpha slid down like a ton of bricks, wiping his bleeding mouth with the back of his hand.

Brock was muttering something, but Bucky pulled Steve away from him. Steve’s scent was pumping out protectiveness and the readiness to fight, and Bucky was rubbing his hands up and down the alpha’s arms to try and bring him down. “Hey, stay with me. It’s okay. Leave him alone.”

Steve frowned and his eyebrows pinched as he looked at Bucky. “I can’t just let him call you those things. No one deserves to be talked to like that.”

Bucky tries to make the mood lighter by forcing out a chuckle. “See why I’m divorcing the bastard, now?”

Steve is wound up tight, but he looks down at the bags of Bucky’s new clothes that are lying on the pavement. “Sorry.”

Bucky shakes his head. “It’s okay. Just…” Bucky turns back to look at Rumlow, and how he’s glaring at the both of them but is silent. Bucky doesn’t want to run the risk of letting Steve and him get into another fight while he’s upstairs.

Turning back to Steve, he picks up some of the bags and smiles up at the blonde. Trying to not let his nerves rile Steve up anymore. “Just come inside for a bit.”

Steve is still, but nods after a while and picks up the remaining bags. They started to go up the steps and Bucky pushed the key into the slot. He opened to door, but leaned over to look at the still slumping figure. “ _Go. Home. Brock_. Or I _will_ call the cops.”

Rumlow’s only response to Bucky was to spit out the blood in his mouth on the pavement next to him.

They went up, and Bucky opened the door to Nat’s and his apartment. The Redhead was already home and was greeting him, when she saw Steve behind him. She gave him a look. “James.”

Bucky sighed and asked Steve to wait in the hallway while he explained to Nat what had happened downstairs.

 ---------------------

Steve leaned against the wall, as he heard hushed conversations. He gently put the bags that were in his hands down, and flexed his fist. It hurt. He would probably have some bruised knuckles tomorrow morning, but that was the farthest thing on his mind right now.

_‘so that was his alpha’_

Steve clenched his jaw as he tried to think how someone like Bucky had ended up with an asshole like him. To say those things to anyone, never mind your _omega_. It left a sour taste in his mouth and probably his scent too.

He wanted to punch that smirk off the other alpha’s face, but he was glad Bucky had stopped him before things had gotten too out of hand.

There was more whispering, this time from Natasha, and he sighed and banged his head lightly against the wall.

The guy had just been waiting for Bucky to get home. What if Steve hadn’t gotten off? Would he have actually hurt Bucky? Steve would like to believe that no alpha would willingly abuse an omega, but he wasn’t naive either. There was a reason Bucky was in the middle this nasty divorce, and Steve still took in another deep breath.

The other alpha knew where Bucky lived, and could come whenever he wanted. The thought of something like this happening again made Steve frown and growl softly.

Bucky was pregnant. He was vulnerable right now.

There was noise from inside the apartment, and then Natasha came into view. She sighed and rubbed a hand over her face. “thanks for beating Rumlow around a bit. He had no right to be here, and if I would have known he was downstairs, I would have asked Bucky to stay a little longer with you.” His interactions with the other alpha were awkward and he could tell she cared immensely about Bucky. She was a good friend, and Steve nodded to her.

“Thanks also with the help with the lawyers. “

Steve stood away from the wall, and he flexed his hand a little and sighed. “Can I talk to Bucky?”

She nodded and stepped a little out of the way as he walked into the kitchen where the omega had his head cradle between his arms. “Buck.”

The other raised his head and looked over at Steve. “Hey”

Steve looked behind he and saw how Natasha threw herself on the couch, arm thrown over her face and tension in the lines of her body.

Walking a little more into the kitchen, Steve looked at the chair to the table that Bucky was sitting at. “Mind if I sit?”

Bucky shook his head, and Steve pulled it out and sat down slowly. Bucky had his hand over his mouth but he was trying to pay attention to Steve. His scent was flickering and had anxiety and everything that Steve didn’t want the other to smell like.

Rubbing his hands together, Steve leaned a little towards the omega. “Bucky, I think you should move in with me.”

Bucky froze in his seat, and looked at him. Steve could tell that Natasha was listening to them too.

“Steve….”

“I had said in the beginning that in the later months that I would like for you to move in, so that I could help with the baby as much as I could. And it’s not mandatory, but after tonight. I just…”

Bucky sat back in his chair, lip between his teeth and eyebrows furrowed. “Steve, I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to. I would just want you to be safe” Steve was almost tempted, but he couldn’t make Bucky do this. Something tells him that his former alpha told him to do a lot of things he didn’t want to.

“I think you should go.”

Both Steve and Bucky turned towards the living room. Natasha was sitting up now, and her face was serious. She was looking at Bucky, and She could smell her resolve.

“Nat…”

“Brock, is an asshole. But’s he’s also unpredictable, and we don’t know what he’ll do now that all this has happened. And I’m not always home, James.”

She turned to Steve then. “I haven’t had any reason to distrust you, and I hope I never will. I just want a promise that James will be able to do whatever he wants.”

Steve nods. “I won’t make him do anything he doesn’t want to.”

Bucky looks between the both of them, and feels his hands start to shake a little at the thought of leaving Nat. His longest friend, and he puts his face into his hands again.

He can tell that they are looking at him, and Steve’s about to say something, but he speaks first.

“Can I sleep on it?” He hasn’t moved his hands away from his face.

“Of course.”

 ---------------

Steve leaves a little after that, and Natasha takes his place sitting beside Bucky. She just offers him comfort and he readily accepts it. The baby starts to kick again, and when he tells her, her eyes light up a little. He lets her slim fingers feel the little bumps as he lies in his bed.

She offers to sleep in his room with him and he nods. They wrap the comforter over both of them and Bucky let’s himself tuck his nose against his neck, basking in her clear strong scent. She traces patterns softly against his back, and it’s two in the morning and neither of them have slept.

“I’m going to call Steve.” He tells her, but doesn’t move. She hums low in her throat.

“And tell him what?” There’s nothing in her tone, except the question.

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> COMMENT AND KUDOS TO HELP FEED MY FAMILY  
> PLZ WINTER IS HERE


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a twitter @jibblyuniverse4

Steve is lying in bed and hasn’t been able to sleep at all, his thoughts on what had happened that day. He had gotten home and went straight to the bathroom for a shower. The warm water usually able to calm him down when his thoughts were a mile a minute. But it hadn’t been able to help any.

He had work in a few hours, sighing he got up and decided to start making a small breakfast before going out for a run.

Getting up from his bed, he groaned at how his hands ached. There were a couple little bruises but his hands were just sore. He does boxing, but he hadn’t actually hit someone since he was a kid. When he was constantly getting into trouble and giving his mom stress.

She had died when he was still pretty young, bad lungs, but he still made sure to think about her every day. Sarah Rogers was just someone you couldn’t forget, and he was always proud to have called her mom.

Getting to his feet, Steve stretched a little and let his feet pad against the carpeted floor. The sun was still down, so when he walked into the living area, the city lights were in full effect. He took a second just looking out at the view, and the thought that Bucky had been in his home only a couple of hours earlier, admiring the view.

Turning into the kitchen, he turned on the stove to a low heat and rummaged in his fridge for something quick and easy to make.

\-----------

He was sweating, the air passing through his body easily as he started on his fifth mile for the morning. Two more and he’d go home for a shower.

The sun had already started peeking out from the building tops, giving the world it’s light. Steve took a swig of his water bottle and kept up his pace. Exercising was something that her had started after he had gotten better. He had been sick as a kid, but after his heart surgery and medication for everything else, he was pretty much as healthy as he could be. Running is actually how he had met Sam, and they had gone out a couple times at first. There was chemistry but they just weren’t looking for the same things. It all turned out for the better, because Sam and him are best friends and Steve’s life would probably go to hell without the other. Sam had honestly come into his life at one of the lowest points and had kicked his ass and made him start to enjoy living again.

He turned the corner in the park that he does his morning runs in, and felt his pocket vibrate. Slowing down his steps, he reached into his running shorts and then slowed down to a stop as he saw the caller id. It was Bucky.

Swallowing the saliva in his throat, he swiped the green phone icon to accept the call. Raising it up to his ear, Steve answered. “Hello?”

_“Hey, Steve. Good Morning.”_

The voice was hesitant and a little awkward.

“Hey, Buck. Good morning.”

_“did I wake you up?”_

“Nah. I’m actually out running, right now.”

There was a surprised chuckle from the other end of the line, before the other spoke again.

_“The sun barely came up.”_

“Yeah well…I had a lot on my mind. Couldn’t exactly sleep.”

There were a few seconds of silence where it seemed like Bucky was absorbing that information, and it made a little nervous flutter in Steve’s chest happen. They both knew what Steve was thinking about. The day before and Steve’s request for the other to stay with him for the remainder of the pregnancy.

 _“I know what you mean…. I couldn’t sleep either. I,”_ He coughed to clear his throat and continued talking _. “I was thinking over what you said and after everything, especially with what happened. I just…”_

Steve had completely started jogging, moving out of the sidewalk to stand in the grass so he wouldn’t be in people’s way or get nicked by a bike. He felt like he was gripping the phone o hard it was going to crack in his hand from the nerves.

“There’s no pressure, really Buck. I just want- “

_“Yes.”_

Steve closed his mouth, eyes wide at hearing the word. He lowered the phone from his ear and then quickly brought it back. “Are you sure?” He absolutely wanted Bucky to stay with him, but only if the other wanted to. His foot stated tapping against the ground, a nervous habit he had picked up in high school and never quite got rid of.

_“Yeah. I already told Nat and She says that she wants to see your apartment before though. So she will know where I’ll be for the next couple of months. But Yes, Steve. I’m saying I’ll move in.”_

“O…Okay. I’m. I’ll …I don’t know what to do now, to be honest.” Steve knew that he was smiling and was a ticking ball in the middle of the park in the early hours of the morning, but he didn’t care. There was a flood of feeling in his stomach and he got the distinct feeling that his inner alpha was practically doing backflips inside his head.

There was a laugh and then Bucky sounded like he was shuffling around.

_“Well, for starters. When should I start packing my stuff to move in?”_

_\----------_

Steve walked into his floor of work with a smile that could light up the entire building and Sam raised an eyebrow up at him. He waved to the beta and grinned. “Good morning, Sam.”

Sam just kept his eyebrow raised but gave Steve his own grin. “It looks like it is. Any particular reason you’re lit up like the fourth of July?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Steve chuckled and Sam rose up from his desk to hand over some new faxes that had been sent to Steve and his tablet so he could look over his schedule for the day.

The both of them walked side by side as Steve clicked away on the tablet, and Sam rolled his eyes as the alpha’s scent was dancing around them. Whatever had the alpha in such a good mood, Sam would bet money it had to do with the omega surrogate that Steve never stopped talking about.

Sam had told Steve that he was catching feelings for his “Baby momma”. To which asked Sam to not call Bucky that with a smile on his face, but didn’t deny that he had feeling for the omega.

From when Steve told him about the surrogacy, to now. Sam would guess that thy were pretty far along. Going into the seven months’ area. It was almost the home stretch. Sam smiled at the good mood and how much Steve deserved to finally have a family.

When they had met, the alpha was almost a completely different person.

A workaholic that had no life outside of this building. And Sam could understand where that alpha had come from. After their little stint at romance, to which they decided that they were better off as friends, Steve had finally told him why he had been so depressed, so stuck and lost.

Peggy.

Steve had told him that he had been in a serious relationship the year before. Peggy Carter was an omega that he had met in university that Steve had fallen head over heels in love with. She was a criminal justice major while Steve was a business major. She had initially thought that Steve was an idiot, just like another jacked alpha, but they had been able to find so much in common during the classes they had and they feel in love. Three years later, they both were graduating with degrees and decided that they were going to be with each other for the rest of their lives.

They hadn’t bonded, because Peggy didn’t want to be bonded during college and be distracted and Steve respected that.

Then they moved in together and Steve had gotten a job with Tony and the company and Peggy was in the process of being accepted into the FBI. They had been talking about getting married and being bonded.

Steve told him that he thought his life was perfect.

Then the accident happened.

Peggy had had a head on collision.

Steve said that he had gotten the call in the middle of his promotion two years into his time at the company. He didn’t know. He had had his phone on silent and after the news and Tony congratulating him, he saw the missed calls and texts messages from Peggy’s niece Sharon and ran straight to the hospital.

She was in the middle of surgery and Sharon had run into his arms sobbing as soon as she had seen him.

Peggy came out of the surgery seven hours later. She was alive but on heavy life support.

Steve never left her side, and was grateful that Tony had covered for him at work. She never woke up and three days later, she passed away in her sleep, Steve holding her hand.

Steve had been in a bad place, and Sam knows that him meeting Steve all those years later in the park might have saved the alpha’s life. Or so Steve had said one night where they had both gotten piss drunk and Steve had scented Sam and held onto him as he had knocked out on the beta’ couch.

Fast forward all this time, and Sam is glad that he met Steve. Has always been glad, but seeing the alpha this happy, it makes him gently bump the other’s shoulder as they go into the morning meetings.

\-------

Bucky is messing with his fingers around a cold glass of water, when the doorbells rings.

Nat was still at work, but she said that she would go over to Steve’s tomorrow. She had requested the day off so she could basically question the alpha the entire day.

His stuff was packed in two suitcases. His clothes for the reaming two months that were left of his pregnancy.

Standing up from the kitchen table, he makes his way to the front door, looking out of the peep hole and swallowing as he sees Steve waiting outside. He takes in a deep breath and undoes the locks to the apartment. He sees Steve smile as soon as he opens the door, and it makes him quickly look away.

He was going to be living with Steve. In the alpha’s house. For two whole months. Or whenever the baby decided it wanted out of his body. Because let’s be real, the kid is the real boss of what happens.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Buck. “

Bucky steps aside so that Steve can come inside and then closes the door behind him. He doesn’t know what to do, so he stands next to the door. Steve looks back at him and gives him a nervous look. “You can always say no, Buck.”

Shaking his head, Bucky walks up to Steve and he never noticed how close they are to each other’s height. Steve having an inch or two on him only. “No, I said yes and I mean it. Besides,” Bucky tries to make his smile as carefree as possible so that Steve doesn’t notice that he really wants to lean forward and press hi nose into Steve’s neck. “It’s only for two months.”

Steve get this look on his face, and then nods back.

Bucky walks up to his two suitcases and pull up the handles on them, but Steve asks if he can take them. Bucky wants to feel annoyed, but he can’t because he knows that Steve is being genuine. He takes a last look at Nat’s apartment that he’s called home for the past year. How it’s comfortable and familiar scents won’t be there at the end of the day anymore.

“Where’s Natasha? Didn’t she want to come with you today?” Steve asks as they walk back to front door.

Bucky takes out his keys and they both step outside, Bucky turning around to lock up the place. “Yeah, but she has work. She said that she’ll go by tomorrow. “

He turns the key and the lock clicks into place. He feels the nervously settle in on his shoulders. He’s leaving. Turning around, he sees Steve giving his that look again and he rubs his face to try and calm himself down.

_‘Steve isn’t like Brock. It’s going to be fine. Steve is a good guy.’_

Bucky and Steve start walking downstairs and leave out of the building enterance, Steve’s car parked and waiting for them. Steve opens the trunk and puts in Bucky’s luggage and looks back at the omega. The sun is barely starting to go down and it casts a warm gold light on everything. And Bucky thinks that the light really suits Steve.

_‘Steve is a great guy, and I like him a lot. Fuck’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been more than a month........


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> add me on twiter :) @jibblyuniverse4

_Bucky smiles and throws his arms around Brock’s shoulders as they walk into their first apartment together as a married couple. The alpha has a light in his eye as he takes in his mate and how beautiful he looks._

_They move their heads closer together until they are kissing. Nothing as passionate as the night before after the wedding. Just a slow, lazy, happy kiss on the lips that turns into both of their smiles pressing against each other._

_Bucky moves back enough to properly look at Brock, but his arms are still around his shoulders, fingers lacing behind the alpha’s head. “Why hello there, Mr. Rumlow.”_

_Brock laughs and hauls Bucky into his arms bridal style, to which the omega snorts at. “Right back at you, Sweetheart.”_

_They had been living at Brock’s family house in the city, and decided to not move into their own place until after the wedding. The furniture was mostly still in delivery and they had gone and bought a mattress and sheets to sleep on the floor till the frame came in in another two months._

_Brock made his way through the space, Bucky content to let himself be carried around, and made his way into their bedroom. The large king sized mattress was bare; the sheets still in their packaging next to it. Brock grinned as he dropped Bucky onto it, seeing how the omega bounced once and laid back down on the bed. Smiling up at the ceiling._

_Brock kneeled down and decided to lay down besides Bucky. Their shoulders barely touching and everything was quiet and new and exciting._

_Bucky turned his head so that he was looking at Brock’s profile. The alpha did the same and they simply looked at each other._

_The soft swishing of the ceiling fan and the noise from the city surrounding them._

_“I love you.” Bucky closed his eyes, lips turned up._

_Brock stared at him, taking in his face and let himself smile. “Yeah. I know how you feel, kid.”_

_\---_

Steve unlocked his front door and rolled in both of Bucky’s suitcases.

Bucky closed the door behind himself, setting a lock into place. He made soft steps behind Steve and the alpha led them to the living room first.

Bucky had been quiet on the car ride over here, remembering his and Brock’s first day moving into their first apartment. It had left a ball in his throat to think about how the two of them hadn’t been how they were now. They had actually loved each other in the beginning, or at least Bucky did.

The number of boxes lying around in significantly less than the last time Bucky was here, and he can’t help but think that Steve tidied up for him.

Steve places the cases against the wall next to the kitchen and then rubs the back of his neck as he turns back to Bucky. “So um…” Steve gives him a smile. “Thanks for saying yes. To moving in.” the ‘for everything’ is left unsaid, but Bucky can still hear it in his head.

“It’s no biggie.” Bucky tries for casual and he thinks he nails it when a relieved look settles on Steve’s face. The alpha looks down at his watch and then into the kitchen. “I didn’t even think to ask, but are you hungry? I just got out of work, but I ate lunch.”

“No. I ate at home.” It already feels weird calling Nat’s apartment home. But that’s what is it to him. Home.

Steve tries to break the awkwardness by coughing into his hand and then fiddles with his own hands. “Well, I could show you your room now. If you want?”

Bucky let’s his hand settle on his stomach, getting some comfort from its warmth under his fingers. “Yeah, I guess.”

Steve’s eyes flicker down to Bucky’s swollen belly but quickly look away and to the hallway. He’s about to grab both suitcases again, but Bucky shakes his head. “Leave them, I’ll get them in a bit.”

“Sure?”

A chuckle leaves his lips. “I am gonna be here for a while. I’ll have time to unpack later.”

Steve nods, and then they start walking down the hallway.

They pass by a door and Steve opens the door for Bucky to see. But he’s already seen this room. “This is my office. If I’m home, I’ll spend most of my time in here. “Bucky nods, avoiding looking at the pictures of Steve and the brunette woman he had seen earlier. The go to the next room, the door is already open, but they don’t stop. Just walking by it as Steve gestures to it with a nod. “That’s my room.”

Bucky gets a quick look, doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary. A bed, drawer, some other stuff.

Steve stops in front of the door on the opposite side of the hallway. He looks at Bucky fidgeting a little. “I have this room, or if you want more privacy, there’s a room on the other side of the apartment.”

Bucky thought about it for a second, before shaking his head. “It’s fine.”

Steve opened the door and they both walk inside. It’s a pretty spacious room, definitely bigger than the one he has at Nat’s place. There’s a queen sized bed in the middle of the side wall, and a tall dresser. The floor is carpeted with a light grey and there’s a door on the opposite side of the bed. He walks up to it and opens it. Steve walking a few steps behind him as he takes in the large bathroom.

“There’s two bathrooms, this one and the one in my room.” Steve moves so that he opens up the walk in closet. Bucky frowns as he sees some clothes already hanging on the racks. The alpha sees the look and laughs. “I may have or may not have bought some clothes for you.”

Bucky sighs, they weren’t necessarily ‘fancy’ clothes. They looked like lounge wear. Bucky raises his hand and rubs his fingers against the fabric of a pair of sweats. They are incredibly soft and he has to stop himself from rubbing his face against it.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re comfortable. This is the least I can do for you, Buck. Make sure you’re taken care of.”

His hand is still on the pair of pants, but he turns his head to look back at Steve. He smiles, and takes his hand away from the clothes. “It’s great, Steve. All of this.”  Bucky rolls his lips between his teeth and looks up at Steve. That urge to kiss Steve is back, but he smiles instead. “Really.”

Steve’s scent is warm up so close, and the alpha is stares right at Bucky’s mouth, before flickering up to his grey eyes. “okay”

They are incredibly close in the closet, the racks mostly empty, waiting for Bucky to hang up his clothes. In Steve’s apartment. Steve’s home that absolutely reeks of him and Bucky can’t help the way he shivers when he takes in another lungful.

“I want...” Bucky starts to asks something but he freezes up.

Steve is looking at him, waiting, while Bucky opens and closes his mouth. His pulse is beating rapidly trying to think of something to say, and the best he can come up with is.

“Can I rest for a bit?”

Steve nods and takes a step back, to put a little distance between them. “Yeah, of course you can.” He turns and then is walking out of the bathroom, Bucky following close behind and trying not to swallow his tongue.

They are back in the bedroom, and Steve looks over at the door. “I can bring your suitcases in, now. If you want?”

Bucky just nods, going to sit down on the bed. Steve leaves out of the door and Bucky looks down at his shoes against the carpet. He toes off the sneakers, wanting them off and let’s his socked feet rest there. His feet don’t feel bad, and they aren’t swollen, but he just has the urge to stare at them until Steve comes back.

It doesn’t take long.

Steve rolling one suitcase in after another and places them against the bed. Bucky looks up at him, and Steve just stands there for a second, not sure what to do. “I’ll just let you rest then.” Steve sees Bucky nod, still looking up at him with those expressive eyes.

“Okay. See you in a bit.” His voice is quiet, even though he uses all his effort to make sure none of the mounting emotion he’s feeling makes its way to the alpha.

Steve leaves Bucky alone in the room, closing the door behind him.

Bucky doesn’t let himself take in a deep breath until he can’t hear footsteps anymore. He whips his head back down to his feet and digs his toes into the carpet.

_‘I want to kiss you.’_

He flops down the rest of the way down on the bed, the soft mattress a comfort as his sore back. ‘I almost said that.’ He thinks and rubs a hand over his eyes. There were two windows in his room, but they had shutters on them and were only half way open. The light was dim, because of the hour of the day and Bucky realized that it actually was getting late.

There’s some moving around in his stomach, and Bucky turns so he can get one of the pillows that are against the headboard and tuck it under his head. He’s staring up at the ceiling, hands against his stomach as the baby wiggles around in there.

He just breathes in and out. Concentrating on his breathing, rubbing circles into his tummy.

“I got this. I can do this. Two more months and I’m out.”

He stares at how the blades of the ceiling fan are spinning above him. The sense of déjà vu letting his lids flutter close and he actually tries to rest.

‘I can do this’ He repeats to himself.

He feels a kick under one of his hands and smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah.” He rubs his thumb over his protruding belly button.  “I know how you feel, kid.”

\---

_He’s laying back on the sofa, blanket draped over his waist and there’s a hand carding through his hair. It’s nice and comfortable._

_The tv on and it’s some trash reality show. The people on the screen fake arguing over probably scripted lines, but it is entertaining and it makes a smile crack over Bucky’s face._

_He stays lying that way, content and engrossed with the screen when he feels the person he’s leaning against start to rock back and forth. He tilts his head back to see what’s the matter._

_Steve shoots him a small smile before looking at a bundle in his arms._

_“What’s wrong?” Bucky asks, shifting his position to get a better look at Steve but he’s still leaning against him. Their shoulders flush together as he rests his head on the alpha’s shoulder._

_Steve readjusts the wad of blankets in his arms, trying to rock him at a different angle, but there are some little whimpers escaping through the hole in the blankets._

_“Shh shh shh, come on. Hey, it’s okay.” Steve tries to comfort the baby, but then there are wails and the baby is full on crying. Bucky winches at the loud noise and tries to take a look at the baby’s face, but it’s covered with blankets. The hole where it’s face is too dark to see anything clearly._

_Steve rocks and cradles, and makes shushing noises for what feels like hours and Bucky is close to leaving when the alpha stops to turn to him._

_Steve gives him a pleading look. “I don’t know what to do. “_

_The crying feels like it’s pulsating in his head, and he wants it to stop. He moves his arms under Steve’s and takes the baby from him. “I don’t know either.” He says weirded out. The weight in his arms is uneven and he just cradles it close to his chest and does a vaguely rocking motion._

_Steve leans in. “Maybe he’s hungry?”_

_Bucky gives him a look. “Then give me a bottle or something.”_

_Steve just makes a face at him._

_“What?” Bucky moves the baby to the other side and starts rocking him a little harder, the crying only getting louder._

_“You need to breast feed him.” Steve says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, and Bucky gapes at him._

_“I can’t breast feed it.” He glares at Steve, then at the baby. There’s suddenly too much noise and it feels like it’s coming from inside his head._

_Steve makes a pointed look at Bucky’s chest and he sees that the shirt that he had been wearing is gone and his chest is on full display. He stares at them. They’re huge and swollen and the wad in his hands starts to reach for them. He just stays frozen in place as Steve maneuvers the baby so that it is in front of one of his nipples._

_Steve’s hands pull apart the blanket from the baby’s face and Bucky finally gets to see it’s face as it looks up at him, screaming its little lungs out._

_\--_

He starts awake. His body shivering with the sweat that was covering it. He’s still in the same position he had fallen asleep in, but the windows are dark. It must be late.

He gets his hands under him and pushes up to sit up on the bed. He’s still trying to catch his breath from the dream, but he eyes his suitcases next to the bed. 

After a couple more seconds, and his breath getting back to a normal pace, he pushes himself all the way up from the bed and stands up. He gently kneels down and places his suitcases down on the floor. He unzips the one he knows he has most of his essentials in and pulls out his toothbrush, tooth paste and some pajamas to change into.

A shower sounds fantastic, to be honest.

Getting himself up with using the edge of the bed as leverage, Bucky handles all the stuff in his hands and makes his way to the bathroom. He places his stuff on the counter and then turns to turn of the shower. He fiddles with the faucet and knobs until he finds a temperature that he likes.

Satisfied, he turns back to the counter and starts taking off his clothes. He avoids looking at himself in the mirror, because he thinks he looks freaky. His stomach is already huge, and it’s still getting bigger. He’s learned to just put on whatever fits and not even care anymore. Comfort beat style 100% in his book.

After he places his dirty clothes in the hamper that was next to the Shower, he opens the stall and steps inside.

The first spray of warm water he feels on his back makes a groan slip out of him. He can feel the tension from that weird dream melt away and he is grateful that there is already stuff in the shower for him to wash himself with.

Reaching for the shampoo, he lathers it up in his hair and gently massages his scalp. He does conditioner next, and there’s something he can’t quite pinpoint about them. It’s when he reaches for the soap and rubs it in-between his hands does it light up in his head.

These smell like Steve.

Bucky looks at the shampoo and conditioner bottles. They are probably the same brand that Steve uses to take a shower and that idea makes an ache in Bucky’s lower stomach start.

He’s going to smell like Steve. He starts to wash his body and he feels his eyes flutter a little.

No. He’s going to reek of Steve.

He’s living in his house, using his shampoo, conditioner, soap. Eating with him. Wearing the clothes, the alpha bought him.

The smell warms him up more than the water does, and he feels himself getting hard and some slick is mixing with the water running down his thighs.

“fuck…” He moves his soaped up hand in between his legs and pumps his cock once. Letting his grip tighten a little before letting go and reaching farther behind himself. He swirls his index finger around is rim, slippery with the beginnings of slick there.

He’s about to press a finger inside himself, when his other hand bumps against his chest and he hisses.

The hand that he had at his enterance moves away and kneads at his chest.

They hurt and are sore. Looking down, he sees that his nipples seem to be sticking out more than usual. Their usual pale brown now a deep mauve pink.

He thinks back on the weird dream he had just had and holds his breath as he cups his hand around his breast and squeezes a little. _It hurts._

It hurts a lot, but he sees the white liquid that bubbles up and dribbles down his chest. He’s panting and he leans his forehead against the closest shower wall.

He turns the dial of the shower until the water stops, still a little bit of soap clinging to his back.

He knocks his head gently against the glass and sighs. “Great….”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> top part of this chapter - Dollhouse by Melaine  
> bottom part of this chapter- all star by smashmouth 
> 
> I don;t even know  
> drop a comment in the bottom!


	14. Chapter 14

Steve had left Bucky alone after giving the omega the short tour of his apartment. He didn’t want to overwhelm him and gave him some space.

He had gone to his office to open up his laptop and read over his emails. It was still light out and the warm lighting did well to make Steve feel content. He left his door open in case Bucky needed him for anything and went behind his desk to sit down.

He reached under the desk to the computer case he had put there and started to unzip and pull out his stuff. He turned in the chair and extended the power cord to plug it in and then connected the port on the side of his laptop. The little green light at the corner of his laptop lit up and he pressed his index finger on the start button.

His lock screen came on, a nice pale green with a box to type in his password.

He spared a glance to the picture on his desk before inputting the five letter word.

His computer unlocked and then he was at his home screen, some of the icons that were attached to his task bar showing number notifications. He hit the small envelope icon and was directed to his email.

He had only three new ones in his inbox from when he had checked it at the office before he left to go pick up Bucky. The first one is from Clint and the other two are from Tony.

Seeing that Clint’s is just a forwarded joke that he admits to cracking a smile to, he goes to lick at the next two from Tony. The first one is a link to Tony and Pepper’s shopping list that they had used for Marie. Steve had already bought almost everything he would need when the baby was born, but he moved his mouse and favorited some of the items, grateful that Tony had thought to send him this.

He spends maybe thirty minutes going over the list and website that they had bought the stuff from, before clicking to the next email from Tony.

It’s title a sad face emoji that makes Steve roll his eyes good naturedly and the first sentence that Steve is the worst friend ever. He reads over the email,

_L_

_Honestly Rogers, you are the worst best friend I’ve ever had. When are you going to let me and Pepper crishen your new place? We also may have bought some stuff for the baby, even though you told us not to and won’t tell us if it’s a boy or a girl. Btw, did you like the link I sent you? I don’t know what you already have, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to give your over prepared ass a little more references._

_I, personally, would recommend the elephant mobile for the crib. It is Marie approved and tested._

Steve smiles and dos feel a little bad that Tony and Pepper haven’t seen his place yet, considering they live in the same building. He scrolls up to hit the reply button and starts to type back.

_Hey Tony_

_Sorry about not inviting you guys over yet, but it’s been pretty hectic with the move and Now Bucky just moved in. I think it would be better if we wait a bit. I still have things in boxes, to be honest. How’s Pepper and Marie?_

_Ps. Yes, I liked the list. Thank you_

He hits send and then opens up a new tab so he can log into his company account and check over everything.

He sits there, clicking and rewriting, until he notices the time at the bottom of his screen. It’s late and he hadn’t even noticed that the warm light of the evening had died out. He leans back in his chair and rubs a hand over his face. He’s had a long day, and he thinks about the fact that he’s not alone in his apartment.

He looks back down at the clock on his computer and debates on checking to see if Bucky is asleep or not. He sighs and decides not to. It’s late anyway.

Standing up, he stretches and pops some of his bones from sitting in the same position for such a long time. He walks away from his desk and starts to head for the kitchen. One he’s out of his office he looks over at Bucky’s room and sees that his door is still closed.

Turning to the other side of the hallway, he walks into the living room and then into the kitchen. He can see barely with the lights from the neighboring buildings coming in from the windows, so he pressed against the light switch and does a little flinch from the sudden brightness. He turns the dial next to the switch so the light isn’t as bright and then walks over to the fridge. Pulling open the door, he looks down at what he has to drink. He eyes the container of water and wraps his hand around the handle. Pulling it out and setting it down on the counter, moving towards the cabinet that has his glasses and taking out a small square glass.

He pours himself some water and sees how the container had fogged up a little from condensation. Steve grabs the glass and turns around so the curve of his back is leaning against the counter, him lifting the water up to his mouth leisurely and staring out of the windows. He stays leaning against the counter, calm and just relaxed.

He doesn’t know how long he’s there until he hears shuffling in the apartment and then one of the showers turning on.

‘Bucky must be awake’

The thought comes to him and he smiles into his glass as he takes another drink from it.

Pouring more water into the glass, he lets the noises coming from further inside the apartment mend into the back ground and moves to sit on the couch, turning off the lights in the kitchen as he goes.

He leans his back against the back of his couch and takes in a deep breath. He raises his wrist so that he can look at his watch and thinks he really should start heading to bed.

He stays in the living room for a bit longer, finishing off his glass and placing it in the sink, before heading back to his office. He’s about to turn into the room that he had left the light on, when Bucky’s door opens and the omega steps out. He must not have expected Steve to still be up, because his eyes widen and he wraps the hoodie he has on more securely around himself.

The look makes Steve frown, concerned. “Hey, you okay?”

\-----

Bucky freezes when he sees Steve in the hallway.

He quickly tugs the sides of his hoodie over his chest, he clenches his jaw when it puts pressure on his nipples.

He sees Steve frown and there’s concern mingling in the air between them now. Steve places his hand on the door frame of his office and Bucky has the fleeting impression of being trapped in the hallway. He hears Steve ask if he’s okay and he has to take a deep breath before he answers.

“Yeah...I’m just.” He looks down the hallway, avoiding eye contact with the alpha.

Steve follows his line of sight and Bucky sees as a thought comes to the other. “Are you hungry?” Steve asks and Bucky frowns.

“What?”

Steve moves so that his hand is no longer on the door frame and he is tilted more towards the other end of the hallway. “You haven’t eaten yet. Is that why you’re up?”

Bucky opens his mouth to say no, but thinks about it and decides that telling Steve that he’s up and walking around because he’s hungry is better than him freaking out because his body decided that it’s fucking time to be producing milk. Oh and he might have fleetingly thought that he wanted to go home to his and Nat’s apartment, because he was a little over whelmed at the moment.

“Yeah. Starving.”

They walk to the kitchen and Bucky is consciously aware of how the soft cotton of his t-shirt feels like sandpaper against his chest with every step. He tries not to let his discomfort meld into his scent, lest Steve notice it.

“Want anything in particular?”

“No, anything is fine.”

Steve presses the light switch on and Bucky goes to sit on one of the chairs at the table. He doesn’t really care what Steve decides to whip him up, as long as the other doesn’t notice anything. He would probably die of embarrassment.

There’s some shuffling and opening of the fridge while Steve tries to see what he can give Bucky to eat. He pulls out a clear blue Tupper wear from inside the fridge and opens the lid. He looks over at Bucky.

“I got some chickpea stew and rice from yesterday?”

Bucky doesn’t even know what a chickpea is, but nods his head anyway. Steve turns back around and scoops up some of the food with a spoon into a plastic bowl and then places it in the microwave. The hum of the machine is loud in the quiet of the apartment and the time that it’s turning around in there feels like forever.

The timer bings and Steve take it out, it’s steaming a little, but smells fine.

Steve places the bowl in front of Bucky and then goes back into the kitchen to put the Tupperware back in the fridge.

Bucky picks up a little bit of the food, blowing on it in case it’s too hot, and eating it. It’s not the greatest, but he’s had worse. Vegan eating doesn’t suit him at all.

He hears the chair at the other end of the table moving and looks up to see Steve taking a seat.

Bucky lifts the spoon back up to his mouth, trying his best to not look at Steve and finish the food in the bowl.

After he ate, he stood up and told Steve he was going to bed. The blonde nodded and walked with him till the alpha turned into his office. Saying that if he needed anything, not to be afraid to wake him up, to which Bucky just quickly nodded and shut himself off in his room again.

He threw his back on the bed and took out his cellphone from his pocket. He unlocked it and his finger hovered over the text messages icon. It was late, but he wanted to talk to Nat.

A longing to bury his nose in the worn and well-loved couch of their apartment, the way Nat always ended up burning the coffee she made a little, just Nat in general. He sighed and pressed down on the icon. The first person in his recents was the alpha and he typed out a quick message, not really expecting a reply.

_I miss you._

He was surprised when she responded right away.

_[back at ya’, handsome]_

He cracks a smile and his fingers type out a reply.

_It’s late. What are you doing up?_

_[hello, pot. Have you met kettle?]_

_You know what I mean_

_[yeah, well.]_

_[it’s a little hard to sleep knowing ur not here tbh]_

That longing tugs again at him and he wants to see Nat.

_Yeah, well. If it makes you feel any better, I’m miserable rn_

_[y? is everything all right?]_

Bucky knows that if he told her, she would probably kick down Steve’s door if he told her to.

_Yes. But I’m a certified dairy cow now_

_[what?]_

_I’m lactating_

_[ XD]_

_It’s not funny_

_[it kind of is lol]_

_You’re the worst. I want a new best friend. I’m firing you from being my best girl._

He sees how his screen flickers to the incoming call one and he swipes the green phone icon.

 _“Okay. What’s wrong?”_ There’s some thinly concealed amusement in her voice that he rolls his eyes at, but feels affection pour through him at the same time.

“I told you. I’m leaking through my nipples.” He keeps his voice down to not let Steve hear and gets more comfortable on the bed.

_“Yeah, it’s bound to happen. You are about to pop and all that, bud.”_

“I thought this was supposed to happen after the thing is born.”

There’s a pause on the other side of the line and then she sighs.

_“I guess not. Well, you didn’t have any morning sickness, so I guess this balances your pregnancy out?”_

He groans. “My chest is sore as hell.”

_“well, I can take you to the doctor tomorrow if you want, so he can tell you what to do, if you want?”_

She was going to come over anyway, so she come see the apartment and basically interview Steve. He doesn’t really want to go to the dr. Banner, but he also wants to know what else he might expect in these next couple of weeks.

“Yeah, I’ll call in the morning and see if he can see me today.”

_“Have you told Steve?”_

“no.”

_“Well, he’ going to find out tomorrow. Doesn’t he get notifications whenever you see the doctor?”_

“Yes. But I’ll just…. I’ll tell him tomorrow.”

_“Okay. But you’re okay right? Not too much? Because you know you can always come home.”_

“Yeah…. it’s…. it’s fine.” He sighs and turns on his side so that he can get his head on a pillow. The stress of the day finally catching up to him and making him feel tired.

They talk about how her day was and he tells her about his room and boring little details about the apartment, and he doesn’t know when he drifts off to sleep again. Thankfully without any weird faceless crying babies this time.


	15. Chapter 15

Steve is up already by the time he rolls out of bed. The alpha dressed in running shorts and an under armor t-shirt, and eating a bowl of cereal and drinking coffee at the breakfast bar. His hair is a little damp, probably from the workout Bucky didn’t hear him leave for earlier, and he’s scrolling through his phone. Which is good, because Bucky is bluntly staring at how the shirt is just a little tight and stretches across Steve’s chest.

Nat had called him to say that she was on her way with some “homemade” biscuits, which were code word for McDonald’s egg muffins. Along with telling him to tell Steve they were going to the Doctor.

Which he really didn’t feel like saying to Steve, because it was embarrassing and a pat of him wanted to keep this to himself. But one way or another, Steve was going to find out because of the doctor alerts he received, so there was really no use.

Steve finally notices him or his scent in the room and looks up from taking a sip of his coffee. HE smiles and gives a soft. “Morning” that makes Bucky’s stomach flutter.

Buck nods and returns the greeting, going to the fried to take out the pitcher of water and pour himself a glass.

He hears over his shoulder. “I can make you something to eat, if you want?”

He gives Steve a smile and shakes his head. “It’s fine. Nat is bringing me breakfast. She’ll be here in a bit.”

Steve nods, and goes back to eating his cereal and opens up the laptop that was in front of him. He hears the tapping of keys on the computer’s board and wonders what Steve does for a living. He has a very general view of it, but he’s never really thought to ask for the details of it. But with all the times he sees Steve working, he can guess he’s busy the majority of the day.

It’s a quarter past seven, when the doorbell rings, and Bucky get a notification on his phone from Nat that’s she’s there. He lets out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding so much tension in, and tells Steve he’ll get it.

He makes his way to the door, and looks out to peep hole. A brown paper bag, blocking Natasha from view except for the top of her head. He smiles and unlocks the door. She is in a light grey t-shirt and dark jeans. Causal and comfortable and it makes him reach out and hug her.

Nat laughs and gives him a hug in return. “Hey there, big guy. Someone’s happy to see me.” She gives him a good squeeze, mindful of his belly, and then they both walk into the apartment. He didn’t notice that Steve had gotten up, until he hears the “Good Morning, Natasha.” From a few feet behind him.

She nods. “Good morning, Steve.” She turns between the both of them. “So, do I get a tour of your temporary digs, Buck?”

\---

Steve had seen the McDonald’s bag that Nat had brought Bucky but just decided that a little fast food never hurt anyone.

He had walked Natasha around the apartment, answering the questions she threw at him and felt a little nervous the whole time by her intensely protective scent she kept on pumping out. But he didn’t mind. He was glad that Buck had someone that cared for him as much as the other alpha did.

After the tour and questions seemed to be over, the three of them made their way back to the kitchen where Natasha and Bucky set the bag down on the table and began digging in.

Steve looked down at his watch and decided that it was a good time to start getting ready and let the two have some time together without him there.

The shower was warm and relaxing against his shoulders and he quickly washed his body. Taking a little time to massage the shampoo into his scalp and think about the things he had to go over today once he got to work.

The lather coating his short blonde hair and his thoughts went from the afternoon meeting he was going to have to have with Nick to seeing if Tony wanted to grab lunch together, to the way Bucky had smelled that morning.

The apartment was slowly starting to smell like the omega from just the few hours that he’d been there, so Steve wasn’t caught off guard by him this morning because of that. No, there was something sweet that clung to the air that had made him look up from his coffee and see Bucky walking into his kitchen.

He didn’t know what it was but it had made his fingers grip the handle of his mug a little tighter and quickly go back to looking through his emails.

It was a warm scent and nothing at all like the scent of an omega in heat, but a comforting warmth.

He kept on smelling it and when Natasha showed up, and he had stood up to greet her, standing closer to the omega. He had to catch himself from placing a hand on the small of Bucky’s back just so he could touch him.

He finished his shower and toweled off, his clothes already laid out on the bed from the night before. He dressed himself and made his way back to the kitchen to retrieve his laptop. He half expected Bucky and Nat to have left to spend the day together, but they were still sitting at the table, with Bucky’s breakfast only half way eaten. 

He saw how Nat was leaning back in the chair with her arms crossed and giving Bucky an expected look, and Bucky was biting the inside of his cheek, eyes flitting to Steve’s when he was fully in the kitchen area.

A little bubble of doubt crept into his thoughts, that maybe Bucky had changed his mind about living with Steve and had told Natasha.

Bucky finally looked at him fully and Steve leaned against the breakfast bar, feeling anxious.

“Steve, I’m gonna head by Dr. Banner’s today for a bit.”

Steve felt a whole new level of anxiety. “Is everything okay?”

Bucky nods and Steve can see how the omega readjust the hoodie that he’s wearing around his middle.

“No, everything is totally fine! I just…There’s just something I need to ask him, and I know that you get alerts if I go to the doctor, so I didn’t want you to worry that it was anything bad. Okay. I just.” Bucky is starting to get flustered and Steve nods, and lets himself take a relaxing breath to calm his frayed nerves.

“It’s fine, Buck. I’m glad you told me. Thank you.” And he is thankful.

Nat is staring at him and he remembers something. He walks to one of the kitchen drawers and takes something out. Walking over to the table, he sticks his hand out to Bucky and a shiny new key is between his fingers.

Bucky stares at it for a second, before looking back up at Steve.

“It’s a key to the apartment for you.”

Nat is staring at Bucky now as he takes the key from Steve’s hand, the other’s fingers slightly shaking. Steve’s phone starts to ring, snapping the air in the room of whatever moment it was having as Steve takes it out of his pocket and raises it to his ear. “Sam, good morning. Yeah, I’m already on my way out.”

Steve moves to gather up his laptop and put it in its case and turns back to the two other people in his apartment. He mouths to Bucky that he’ll see him later and then he’s rushing out of the door.

\---

Bucky stares at the key still in his hand, mind fluttering and he swears under his breath as his chest starts to pulse again.  Placing the key on the table between him and Nat, he is free to unzip his hoodie and look at his t-shirt.

There’s already a wet mark where each of his nipples are and he whines as he prods at them. They’re tender and sore and he hates it.

Nat is leaning over the table, eyes on his chest, smile on her face. “Oh wow, there it is. You really are lactating.”

Bucky glares at her, but moves his hand under his shirt to try and massage his chest to relive some of the pain. “It’s not funny, Nat.” His fingers are a little slippery and he catches his breath when he presses the pad of his fingers over a hardened nipple.

“It’s a little funny. Well, at least we can go to the doctor’s without you worrying about Steve.” She stands and makes her way to the kitchen, opening and closing drawers. Bucky stares at her, wondering what she’s doing until he sees that she takes out a little clear tape and then brings the napkins to the table.

“You are not going to tape my nipples.” He says sternly, to which she stares blandly at him.

“Do you want to soak right through your hoodie and everyone see?”

He glares at the tape that is in her hands, and then tears a sheet of napkin to start folding into a square. “Honestly, fuck being pregnant. Sucks.”

She gives him a smile as she takes a piece of tape and places it over the squared napkin over his nipple. “Complain complain complain. That’s all I’m hearing from you, gorgeous.”

They call Dr. Banner’s office to see if he can see them and an appointment is made for ten. They spend a little time in Steve’s apartment, Nat looking over the clothes he has in the closet that Steve’s bought him and gives him looks.

“What?” He says annoyed.

“I didn’t say anything.” She says overly sarcastic.

“But you want to. So just say it, before it eats you alive.”

She takes a pair of jeans off a hook and walks towards the large mirror that is at the end of the closet. Pressing the demin against his hips and turning this way and that. “Do you think these would fit me?” She asks, avoiding.

“Nat.”

She looks at him through the mirror, and frowns. “You’re still fine with this, right? Even with the gifts?”

Bucky takes in a deep breath. “Course I am. I would tell you If I wasn’t.”

She puts the jeans back on the hanger and looks at Bucky plainly. “I need you to, okay. I don’t…. I don’t want something like what happened with you and Brock to happen again.”

Bucky flinches. “Steve isn’t anything like Brock.”

“Do you really know that though? I don’t, and I hope to god that I’m right, but I don’t think he’s an asshole. But you never really know a person till you start living with them is all I’m saying.” She places a hand on his neck and lets her fingers massage there comfortingly.

“I…. I know. And I was such an idiot for not listening to you Nat.” He can feel the warmth in his eyes and he starts to annoyingly wipe at his eyes. “Fucking hormones, I swear. I can cry at a drop of a hat. So annoying.”

Nat just brings him into her chest, having to stand a little on her toes, because Bucky was taller than her. “Sounds annoying.”

Bucky laughs into her hair and stands back when he feels like he has a better grip on himself.

She’s still giving him that lovingly tender look and he loves her so much. Why hadn’t he listened to her. It’s a thought that has plagued him for months and with her and him in this insane closet that Steve has filled with clothes, it just drives it home.

“I’m an adult, and I have to deal with the consequences of my actions.” He starts. “I chose to love and marry Brock. And that didn’t work out, so I’m dealing with that. I-I chose to do this. To have a baby and give it to a stranger. “And I’m going to have to deal with that too.”

\------

They sign into the Doctor’s office and barely wait five minutes before they are called in. Bucky uncomfortably aware of the little taped squares of napkin that are on his chest and wet with the milk he’s producing.

They are lead to their room by a chipper nurse and are told that Dr. Banner will be with them shortly.

Bucky walks up to the medical bed and hefts himself up, feeling as his stomach settles in between his legs, watching Nat sit calmly on the chairs that are pressed against the wall, purse taking up the second chair.

There are knocks and then the door is opened to reveal Dr. Banner. His usual curly dark hair and glasses greeting them.

“Mr. Barnes, what a lovely surprise.” He turns to Natasha and him and smiles. “I hope everything is okay?”

Bucky shifts on the bed, the paper covering crinkling loudly in the room. “I…Yes everything’s fine. I just have a problem that I wanted to get your opinion on.”

Banner nods and pulls out the rolling chair that is under the desk so that he can sit in front of Bucky. “Sure. Anything you want to know as long as it’s medically related. That’s what I’m here for.”

Bucky nods and takes in a deep breath as his hand moves to unzip his hoodie. Once the jacket is off, it’s pretty clear what they’re there for.

Dr. Banner, like the professional he is, doesn’t even miss a beat. “So, I am to assume that you are lactating?”

Bucky nods, face heated up and he knows he’s blushing. “Yeah, it happened just recently and I wanted to know if it’s normal or I need to take anything for it.”

“Well, lactation is very common in pregnancy. Even in omegan pregnancies, so it’s nothing to be worried about. Though, may I?” The other gestures to Bucky’s shirt and Bucky nods, giving permission.

Cold gloved hands brush against his heated skin as Bruce lifts the shirt to expose Bucky’s chest. He looks up at the little soaked pieces of napkin taped to his chest and if Bucky thought he was blushing before, boy.

Bucky carefully removes the tape and then Banner is examining his chest. “Any discomfort or soreness throughout the day?”

Bucky nods and sucks in a breath, when slight pressure is applied and those little bubbles of white liquid peak out of his nipple. “Yes.”

“Have you been sexually active lately? “

Bucky looks to Nat, who has an eyebrow raised.

“No.”

“How about masturbation?”

“What does that have to do with it?” Bucky says a little defensively, but the doctor isn’t fazed. Probably expecting that.

“Well, when a pregnant omega is sexually active or when there is fairly often masturbation, symptoms such as lactation, are commonly seen. Though they can really happen anytime during the pregnancy, to be honest. “

“can I put my shirt down?”

Banner nods and sits a little straight to continue talking to Bucky. The omega feeling incredibly self-aware.

“So, what can we do? About this?” Bucky points towards his chest. No more tape covering him and he can feel every little shift of his shirt against his nipples.

“Well, I can give you medication to lessen the effects, though they aren’t really one hundred percent likely to work. Especially If it’s in the latter trimesters. Though there is an ointment that I would recommend for the tenderness and discomfort, if that helps.”

Bucky sighs and pulls his hoodie back on, leaving it unzipped for the moment. “I think I’ll take the ointment, but can I have a little more time to think about the medication?”

Bruce nods easily and gets his clipboard from where it was sitting on his desk. He’s jotting down some other information on Bucky’s sheet, when Bucky thinks about what he had said.

“When you said there was symptoms like lactation, what else can happen?”

Bruce is still writing while he lists off the symptoms. “Well with increase sexual activity, especially in omegan pregnancies, there can be a few common ones. Lactating, is one, hyper sensitivity, nipple darkening, and if one’s mate or a particularly compatible alpha is constantly near, then false heats can happen as well.”

Bucky thinks about Steve. Thinks about how just the smell of him and his shampoo was enough to start his current problem.

“And if a false heat happens, what then?”

Natasha is so quiet and he knows that she’s staring at him as he asks, but he wants to know so he can prepare himself.

Bruce places the clipboard on his lap and gives Buck is full attention. “Well, there are a number of things that I can suggest. One being that the person who is triggering the false heats help with it as if it were a regular heat, but since, you for example are already pregnant. A knotting toy can be just as effective. “

“Knotting…” Bucky swallows and he can feel how both his chest and groin ache at the thought. He hasn’t done that in almost a year.

“Yes, well. Suppressants wouldn’t work, because it is not an actual heat. It’s all very mental, so a toy will be fine. “

“O... Okay. I’ll have to…. If that happens, I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Doctor.”

They leave the office after, a prescription of the ointment for his chest in his pocket and Nat was taking him to the pharmacy next. Bucky knows that she’s thinking about his last question to Dr. Banner, but all Bucky can think about when staring out at the horrible lunch time traffic is how it would feel if him and Steve ever did something like share a heat.


	16. Chapter 16

They had gotten the cream from the pharmacy and are driving when he notices that they aren’t headed to the apartment. Or even to Nat’s.

He looks at the buildings and doesn’t know what they’re doing here. There’s some smoke shops and boutiques, and he looks over at Nat to give her a confused look.

“Where are we going?”

She pulls into a parking lot and puts the car in park, turning in her seat to look at Bucky. The brunette feels those little hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the look and he adjusts himself against the seat. “What?”

“You’re going to but a knotting dildo.”

Bucky almost choked on his saliva. “NAT.”

She turned the keys in the ignition so that her car turned off. “Don’t you ‘Nat’ me. We both heard what the Doctor said, and I’ll be damned if something impairs your judgement anymore than it already is.”

“Wow, Nat. Your confidence in me is touching. I’m moved.” He says sarcastically and a tiny bit hurt.

She runs a hand over her face and takes a deep breath. “Look.” She looks at him again, and there’s a tenderness in her green eyes that makes him listen. “I know you like Steve. Can’t blame you with how well he’s treating you, but come on man. You might go into a het because of him.”

Bucky bites the inside of his mouth. “I didn’t want this to happen, Nat.”

“I know, James. Really, I do” She moves her hand so that it rests securely on his shoulder. “But you have to be careful. And if you do end up going through a heat, at least you’ll already have something to help you get through it. And you already know that I’ll be here for you. Twenty-four seven. There’s not a thing in the world that can change that.”

Bucky leans into her warm touch and nods, because it makes sense. There’s a real possibility that this might happen, so it’s better to be prepared.

Nat adds a little bit more pressure into Bucky’s shoulder and then takes off her seat belt. “Okay?”

Bucky gives her a nod and takes off his own seat belt. They get out and have to cross the street to get to the bundle of little shops. Nat’s hand on the omega’s lower back to help him hurry before the traffic kicks up again.

It’s three buildings down, but they finally come to the blacked-out windows of the sex shop. Bucky’s been in several before, because he wasn’t always married to Brock. And an omega’s got needs. But this is the first time he’s been with someone else. It’s only a lot embarrassing.

There are two store clerks that are talking to one another and barely even glance at Natasha and Bucky when they walk into the store. A half assed “Welcome” and then they go back to their conversation.

It isn’t the biggest store, but there are clearly separated sections. Secondary genders posted on signs against the walls and the he doesn’t remember there being so many things. They head over to the omegan section and he lets his eyes roam over the brightly colored vibrators and plugs that mostly make up the wall. There are a few shelves that have specialized lubes and accessories that make shift on his feet a little.

He tries to not look as uncomfortable as he feels, and concentrate on finding the knotting toys. There’s three other people in the store besides the clerks, and when one spots Bucky he smiles at him.

Bucky wants to ignore him, but the other omega is persistent on getting his attention. He’s just about to turn when the omega is there in front of him with an alpha. Bucky can guess they’re a mated pair.

The omega smiles at him, and Bucky tries very hard not to outwardly frown.

“hi. I just wanted to say congratulations!” Bucky clenches his jaw and a hand goes towards his stomach.

The alpha’s eyes flicker up and Bucky can tell that he’s uncomfortable with how his mate is approaching him. “Dick, come on.”

The black-haired omega frowns up at his mate and is about to say something, when Nat walks up and brings Bucky lose to her. “Is everything alright?” She asks fakery sweet and the other alpha nods.

“I’m sorry about Dick. He just gets excited around people who are expecting.”

Nat subtly moves Bucky a little behind her and he’s grateful for her presence. “Well, thank you. “They turn back to the wall and Bucky can hear the alpha whisper to the other omega that he’s being annoying.

_They’re at a party surrounded by high society and stuck up people that Bucky can’t stand. He hates going to these functions that Brock’s parents organize, but he comes any way._

_Brock had chosen their outfits and the alpha had Bucky practically glued to his hip. The omega only having enough space to breathe and smile at the occasional guest._

_It’s loud and hot with all the bodies in the room, enough that Bucky asks Brock if he can go sit down at their table. The alpha gives him a look, but nods. The dismissal making the omega take in a deep sigh of relief when he leaves the main dance floor and plops his but onto the soft seat cushions of their table._

_There’s still some wine left in his glass, but he motions their server and asks if he can get a glass of water instead. The young beta easily nods and hurries along to do what was requested of him._

_Most of the people are standing where he and Brock had been. A large number congratulating the both on their new marriage and teasing about when they were going to have kids._

_Bucky would laugh off the question while Brock said in probably in the next year or so._

_The omega didn’t have any problems with kids. It was just that he was still in university and he felt like he was just a kid himself. Children are a big responsibility and he’s seen what rushing into them had done for some of his friends._

_But if it happened, then it happened._

_The server came back with his water which Bucky thanked him for and the omega leaned back into the chair. Taking in calming breaths and sipping leisurely at his water, the ice cubes gently bumping against his lip as he drank._

_He didn’t notice the other person until the chair in front of him was moved closer._

_Looking up, he saw it was Jack. The beta was Brock’s best friend so Bucky tried his best to get along with him._

_Placing his glass down on the table, Bucky sat up straight and gave Jack a tired smile. “Hey.”_

_Jack smiled back at him, and waved his hand to let Bucky know that he could relax._

_The omega nodded and leaned back into his chair, his legs stretching out under the table next to them. “You seem to take these things better than I do.” Bucky laughed and joked to the beta. A corner of Jack’s mouth turned up and he brought one of the glasses of wine up to drink. “I’m good at taking a lot of things.”_

_Bucky gave him a confused smile, but didn’t want to go into details. The beta was known for being quite lewd if you asked about anything too much, and that was something that Bucky didn’t feel like doing now._

_They both sat there and watched the crowd of people mingle and laugh at each other. There was a break in the mob after bout ten minutes and Bucky could see Brock. He was talking to some senator with his father by his side._

_The alpha threw a look over to their table and saw Bucky looking at him. He tilted his head to tell Bucky to come and Bucky stood up to make his way over. Jack staying seated at their table, sipping away at his wine._

_When Bucky was back at Brock’s side, the alpha’ arm wrapped possessively around his waist almost immediately._

_He was thrown back into the heat of the crowd and aimless small talk of the people around him again, and after about an hour, it was taking its toll again._

_He stepped to the side and leaned up to whisper into Brock’s ear._

_“How much longer?”_

_Brock looked down at him and frowned. He excused the both of them from the people Brock was talking to and took Bucky towards a more secluded part of the room._

_“What is it?” Brock asked._

_Bucky swallowed, knowing that tone. “It’s just…I kind of want to leave.”_

_Brock’s foot tapped against the marble of the floor and he sighed. “Why?”_

_“We’ve been here for hours already. I don’t even know any of these people.”_

_Brock turned towards the room full of people again and Bucky reached out to grasp at his jacket sleeve. The alpha looked down at him. “Please?”_

_Brock took Bucky’s hand and removed it from his sleeve. “If you want to go home so badly, then just go yourself. “_

_Bucky’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to apologize and say he’ll stay if they needed to, but Brock just shook him off. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he dumped their house keys into Bucky’s hand._

_Bucky closed his fingers against the warm metal. “Brock….”_

_The alpha glared then. “Just go. God,” He turned around and started walking back toward the people they were just with. Bucky could still hear the whispered. “You’re so annoying. As his alpha made his way to where Jack was now._

Bucky was shook out of his memory when Nat jiggled something in front of his face. He stared at the light-colored metal that linked together two nipple clamps.

“Honestly, you’re the worse.”

Nat just smiled at him and then they finally found what they were looking for. And wasn’t he lucky that they had so many different colors and sizes.

“So, I’m thinking blue.” Nat says good humoredly, hands tucked gently into her jean pockets.

“You thinking of getting one for yourself, there Nat?” Bucky teases right back.

She picks up a medium sized dildo and waves it in the air. “Nah, but blue would be a good match, right? That’s always been you’re favorite color anyway. Unless we go for the unexpected and get you the pepto bismol pink one?” There’s a smile on her face, and it makes him smile too.

He’s embarrassed but he feels calm with her scent so close by. He scans the line of toys and wonders if it would be better to get a vibrator instead. He spots a knotting dildo that is light blue and is about medium thickness. He puts it in his hand and breathes a little heavier when he thinks about how big Steve is.

He feels his hole clench up and his nipples ache again. He waves over one of the clerks and asks them to get the knotting dildo he chose along with a deeper blue vibrator. Nat give him a wink when he pays for the stuff, and then they’re out of the store and heading to the car.

The eat and the day is late. Nat asks him if he wants her to take the stuff they bought today back to her apartment and put them in his room. He knows that that would probably be for the best, but he also knows that he’s pent up and might need the two things in that little black bag sooner rather than later.

She walks him up to Steve apartment and hangs out for a little bit. She lays on his bed with him after he hides his bags and they just enjoy each other’s company for a little bit longer.

His windows start getting darker and then there’s the click of the apartment door opening and closing. Bucky stays lying with Nat and hears the “Bucky?” from down the hall.

Steve’s home.

Nat turns her head to fully look at Bucky and scrunches up her nose in a smirk. “Daddy’s home.”

Bucky lightly shoves her and stands from the bed. “God, don’t ever say that to me again.”

He opens his door and sees the other alpha taking off his jacket by his room.

The blonde perks up and gives him a smile. “Hi.”

Bucky smiles back at him and feels Nat move to stand behind him. Steve nods hello to her and they are all awkwardly standing in the hallway now.

Steve looks into his room and then back at them, before clearing his throat. “Did everything go okay with the doctor?”

Bucky nods quickly. “Yeah. It was fine. Everything’s fine.”

Nat bumps the front of her foot to the back of his that makes Bucky give a tight smile.

Steve nods and looks between the two of them before nodding towards his room. “Well, I’m going to change.” He walks in and closes the door behind him, leaving the two others out in the hallway.

“Ain’t he just dreamy?” Nat teases in his ear, and he swats her away. “Honestly. The worst. That’s what you are.” He whispers back to her and they make their way to the front of the apartment. The sky from the view looks dark now, and he knows that it’s late and Nat has to go home eventually.

He already misses her.

She must see what he’s thinking, because she pulls him into a hug. Mindful of his belly and letting her hands sooth against his back. “Remember, that I’m just a phone call away. Okay? Whenever you need to talk. About anything.”

Bucky nods into her shoulder and then they’re pulling away and she has to go.

He closes the door behind her and says that he’ll see her soon.

He stands in front of the door for a couple of seconds and takes in a deep breath. The material of his shirt brushes against his nipples and he remembers about the ointment they got today.

Turning around, he makes his way back to his room, slowing down a little in front of Steve’s door. He closes the door behind him and walks to his restroom where he stashed the two bags he had brought up with Nat. He leaves the black one in the back of the cabinet and takes of the paper bag the pharmacy gave him.

He takes out the small tub and reads the nicely printed instructions on the label.

Zipping down his sweater, he places it on the sink and raises his shirt so that it rests just under his armpits. He looks down and sees how swollen and red his chest is. He tucks his shirt in between his teeth to keep it up and reaches for the ointment on the counter.

The instructions said to rub it in between his fingers to warm it up and then lightly apply to the area. He moved his thumb, index and middle finger together to warm it up and then he took in a deep breath.

He gently tapped against his right nipple and gasped.

It hurt, but he needed to do it.

He chewed a little on his shirt as he pressed more firmly against his nipple, the medicine tingling and giving him a tingling sensation. He applies a little bit more and shudders out a breath when the presses again.

He almost drops the jar when he hears a knock on his door.

“Buck, you in there?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might post another ch b4 thanksgiving but if i dont  
> HAPPY THANKSGIVING


	17. Chapter 17

He curses under his breath and quickly pulled his shirt over his chest, he hisses as the material rubs over him roughly. Putting the jar into one of the cabinets. He glances at himself in the mirror to make sure he doesn’t look like he was just putting ointment on his nipples and goes back into his room.

He zips up his sweater and reaches to twist the handle for the door.

Steve had been looking down the hallway, but quickly smiles down at the omega. “Hey.”

Bucky looks back to his bathroom door and feeling embarrassed at what he had just been doing before looking back at Steve. “Hey.”

\---

He had walked into the apartment and knew that Natasha and Bucky were there as well. He has had a long day at work and he reaches up to loosen his tie as he calls out for the omega. The curiosity of why Bucky had gone to the doctor today had also been burning in the back of his head all day.

Tony more than once kicking his foot under conference tables to get the blonde to pay attention to what was being said.

He starts to take his jacket off when he had seen the two come out of Bucky’s room. He felt the little bit of awkwardness of having the other alpha’s protective aura so drenched into Bucky, but he didn’t mind. Bucky had told him that the doctor’s visit went goo and that he had nothing to worry about.

Which, if anyone who knew Steve would tell you, only made him worry about it more.

He excused himself to go take a shower and wash the day away from himself. Placing his dirty work clothes in the hamper by the sink and opening the glass door of his shower. Turning the knob to where it was being a little hotter than would be comfortable.

He stepped back out to let the water heat up, and rummaged through his closet to pick out something to wear to bed. He opened the drawers in his closet and pulled out a pair of white socks, grey sweatpants, and a white t-shirt.

Walking out of the closet, he saw that there was already a little bit of steam fogging up the mirror and placed his clothes on the sink. He grabbed a new towel from the hangar and placed it on the hooks next to the shower door.

Opening and stepping into the hot water makes a shuddering breath slip out from between his lips. He ducks his head in and relaxes as the warmth of the water rushes over his head and wets his hair.

He’s mindless for a minute or two, entering more of his body into the hot water and letting it run over the planes of his body. He reaches out and gets the bottle of shampoo from where it sits in the little hole in the wall and pours a generous amount in his hand before rubbing it into his scalp.

He lets his mind wander, but it’s been going back to the same thing these past couple of days. Bucky.

He thinks of the way the omega’s scent is soft and reeks of pregnancy. How it’s only a matter of time before he gives Steve a pup. Their pup.

Steve tilts his head back into the water, closes his eyes and lets out a shuddering groan.

He’s been really wound up today, he thinks as he snakes a hand down. The bubbles and suds of the shampoo running down his body as he presses the heel of his hand into his groin.

It’s wrong. He knows that, but he can’t help it. His instincts are flying all over the place since he smelled that change in the omega’s scent this morning.

Blood rushes south and fills out his length, to which he wraps a steady hand around. He gives himself a pump and loves how the hot water is running in-between his legs.

That sweet scent that seemed to come out of nowhere. But he knows that’s not all it is about the other that makes him bite at the pillow in his room at night.

Steve thinks about how Bucky looked before all this happened. How beautiful he still is. His hand pumps and squeezes at the base of his cock, the hardness of his knot barely there without anything to put pressure on it.

How every time Steve does something for him, wanting so badly to take care of him, his face always looks shocked. His grey eyes staring into Steve’s like he can’t comprehend someone being as nice to him as the alpha is being.

He leans his forehead against the wall closest to him, the shower hitter the back of his shoulder blades as he uses his other hand to cradle and pull at his balls.

A soft growl fills the humid air of the shower as he thinks about Bucky’s alpha. His hand moving faster over himself as he thinks of kicking that guy’s ass again if he even comes near Bucky or his pup again.

The hand that had been on his balls moves up and makes a vice over the base of Steve’s cock as the other strokes the rest of him. He’s panting and fogging up the tiled wall of his bathroom.

Bucky isn’t his. He _knows_ that. Damnit!

But he’s still carrying his pup. He’s living in his house. He smells like arousal whenever Steve brushes against him and that just fucking drives Steve crazy.

He wonders what the omega would look like if he was under him. Whether pregnant or not, the image makes a trail of precome leak from Steve’s tip. He grits his teeth and humps into his hand.

Would Bucky be sweet and shy in bed, or wanting dominance?

How would the omega be in heat?

Steve squeezes his knot and little black dot are in his vision as he keeps thrusting.

That slender neck exposed to him and it would be so easy to just nudge himself under the omega’s ear and bite into his glands. Then he would be Bucky’s alpha.

Steve has mind enough to lift the hand not squeezing his knot to his mouth so he can bite into it and smother his groan. He broke skin from the taste of blood in his mouth, but he just shudders as he cums against the wall.

He takes a couple of minutes to gather himself and the water isn’t as hot as when he had walked in.

Getting the soap, he washes himself. Hissing as he rubs over his sensitive dick.

Shutting off the water, he opens the door and steps out of the shower, getting the towel next to him. He rubs at his face first and then the rest of his body. His muscle lax now that he’s cum, but he knows that he’ll be jacking off again when he goes to sleep tonight.

He momentarily thinks that he might be going into rut. He’ll check his calendar to double check.

Hooking the towel back up, he starts to pull on the clothes that he left on the sink and takes in a deep breath.

He goes out of his room and looks at Bucky’s closed door. He can’t smell Natasha anymore, so she must have left.

Turning down the hall, he goes into his office and moves his keyboard off his desk so that he can look at his calendar. It’s already the end of the month, so there’s only three little squares left. He flips it over and sighs deeply out of his nose when he sees the day blocked out in bright green highlighter.

His rut was going to be in a week and a half. Great.

Sitting down, he puts the keyboard back and opens his computer.

Opening his email and sends an email to Sam that he’s going to take Thursday through Monday off next week.

He knows that the beta will probably know why, since he had a pretty intimate knowledge of Steve’s sex life.

Work will be fine. If he isn’t too into his own dick, then he might even get some work done through the computer.

The real problem is what is he going to do with Bucky.

His alpha side is practically purring with the thought that he should just kept the omega here, but he throws that idea right out the damn window. Bucky will probably go back to Natasha’s during his rut. Which he’s fine with. He is.

He goes over some things from the emails that Nick and Tony have sent him, before he realizes that he hasn’t eaten dinner yet.

Looking at the computer clock, he frowns at the thought of eating so late, but he what can you do.

He stands up and moves to leave towards the kitchen, to make a bowl of cereal or something small before heading to bed.

Looking down the hall, Steve takes a second to decide if he should tell Bucky about his upcoming rut now or later. Turning, he decides that now is as good as time as any.

Stepping up to the closed door, he knocks and calls out so the omega can know he’s there.

There’s some slight shuffling coming from the other side of the door before Bucky appears at the door. His face is a little pink, but Steve pointedly ignores how it makes his groin ache at the flushed appearance.

“Hey.”

Bucky looks back to his restroom but quickly looks at Steve again. “Hey.”

Curiosity tugs at his mind, but he lets it go. Whatever Bucky was doing was his business. He reminded himself.

The omega shuffles a little on his feet at the silence that had filled up the hallway. “So... Did you want to talk about something or?”

Steve nods and flushes a bit himself. “Yeah, I got to tell you something actually.”

He sees how the words make Bucky’s eyes wary, but he continues.

“Next week I’m going to be…. Well,” Steve turns his head to the side and coughs a little, trying to get the words out. “I’m going to go into my rut.”

Bucky’s eyes widen and his mouth opens and closes twice before Steve continues.

“Just so you know, so you can go with Natasha during it. Don’t want you to feel like, well. You know. “Steve finishes lamely.

Bucky’s mouth is parted and he’s looking all over Steve’s face, before he speaks. “Y-yeah, thanks for letting me know. I’ll be sure to tell Nat.” Letting out a shuddering breath at the last sentence.

Steve nods and says that he’s gonna make some cereal and go to sleep. The image of Bucky’s parted lips staining his thoughts as he leaves.

\---

Bucky closes the door behind him and promptly leans his back against it.

“This is bad…” He whispers to himself as he fells the ache between his legs.

“So so bad.” He pulls down the elastic of his pants and yanks them off to keep them from staining with the slick that had started to leak out of his ass.

Falling onto the floor Bucky spreads his legs and feels his hole flutter at the words he had just heard from Steve.

He wraps a hand around himself, and his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to do something else for this chpter, but I had to write this  
> I kiind of fell so so about this chapter, like i didn;t really do Steve's character as I should have idk  
> does he seem too ooc in this?


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's a short chapter, but at least its something  
> no proofreading. we die like men.

He’s standing in the shower, hot water hitting his back and soap washing down his legs. He had jacked himself off on the floor, his hormones going crazy with just the thought of Steve going into rut. Bucky rubbed the wash cloth gently over his belly and went through his thoughts now that he had calmed down some.

Steve was going into rut.

Bucky was reacting to Steve, because they had some compatibility.

His nipples hurt like a bitch, and he knew that the constant aching in his hole was just going to keep him up all night.

He could just use the things that he had bought. Knows he could, but they seem like the most uninteresting things in the world to him right now.

He shuts of the water when he’s thoroughly rinsed and steps out f the shower. Grabbing the towel next to him and patting himself dry. He hangs it back up and looks at himself in the mirror. He’s gotten used to the freaky way he looks now. His insecurity at losing his quote unquote “good looks”.

He places his hands on the sink counter and stares at his face.

The thoughts in his head going a million miles a second, but he was quickly gaining his resolve. Nat was going to be so pissed at him.

He went into the closet and picked out some soft cotton pants and a t-shirt. When he was fully dressed, he walked oer to his bedroom door and took a deep breath.

He opened it and walked into the hallway, the light at the end of it suggesting that Steve was either in the liing room or kitchen. Bucky’s socked feet padded oer the floor as he made his way towards it, nervousness being pushed to the back of his head.

Rounding the corner, he sees that the liing room is empty and heads towards the kitchen. He sees Steve leaning on the counter, bowl of cereal in front of him. The alpha perks up when he sees Bucky, finishe=ing the bite of flakes he has in his mouth.

“Hey.”

Bucky furrows his brow and comes to stand right in front of Steve on the other side of the breakfast bar. “I like you.”

Steve stares at him, his mouth in mid chew with wide blue eyes.

“Like, a lot.”

Bucky sounds like an idoit. Cast him in the next Nicholas Sparks movie.

They both stay standing there in the kitchen for what feels like ten minutes and Bucky feels that doubt and anxiety slam back into him. Why won’t Steve _say_ _anything_?

“I, um…” The alpha finally coughs out. The mouthful of cereal he had had in his mouth swallowed down with a grimance that makes Bucky think he didn’t properly chew his food.

They fall back into awkward silence, and Bucky starts to back track. “Oh my god, I’m….Look.” He runs a hand over his face and lets out a frustrated groan. He was not going to cry. No matter what his hormones were telling him right now. He needed to be a level headed adult for _five seconds_.

“I like you, too.”

Bucky let’s his hands fall away from his face and stares at Steve in shock. The alpha’s face a little confused looking, but there was a flush at the tips of his ears.

“What?”

Steve stands up and moves his bowl away from the counter. He walks around the breakfast bar so that he and Bucky are in front of each other. “I think I’ve liked you for a while now.”

Bucky frowns. “Because I’m carrying your baby?”

Steve clenches his jaw. “No. I mean, yeah I like you for doing that, but I also just…Like you.”

Bucky shuffles on his feet, his heartbeat getting a little faster at the small step towards him that Steve takes.

“As a friend?”

Steve is right up in his personal space now, and the clean scent of the alpha makes Bucky feel every inhale of his breath.

The alpha leans in and places a hand right under Bucky’s jaw. His index brushing aginst the omega’s scent gland and a shiver travel down his spine at the touch.

“If your friends want to kiss you all the time, then sure. Do they?” Steve asks and he’s _right there_. His breath hitting Bucky’s bottom lip and the omega knows that his face is probably red.

“Not that I know of…”

Steve let’s out a laugh and raises up his other hand so that hes cradling Bucky’s head. “Can I kiss you, Buck?”

Bucky stares at him with wide eyes, not believing that this is actualy happening. He came in here, thinking that he was going to get shot down, but now he was an inch or two away from kissing the best alpha he’s ever met.

“Go for it, champ.”He said breathlessly.

God, could he be more cringey? Steve didn’t seem to mind it, though. If the smirk and twinkle in his eye was anything to go by, he probably liked that Bucky sounded like an idoit. The weirdo.

Steve closes the distance between them and Bucky squeezes his eyes.

The kiss is nothing more than both of their lips pressing together, but it makes him stop breathing. Steve is kissing him. The alpha pulls away, and then they are staring at each other again. Steve’s warm hands on either side on his head.

“What do we do now?” Bucky asks, because he just can’t seem to shut himself up. This is really throwing him off his game, not that he has any. He also reminds himself that he was the one to go into the kitchen and confess to Steve in the first place.

He also reminds himself that he didn’t think he would get this far.

Steve thankfully, the god damn saint that he is, speaks up.

“Well, you’re already living with me and about to have my pup, so how about we go on a date?” The sentence is full of amusement and Bucky actually laughs at it, because honestly? What is their relationship?

“That sounds like a solid plan.”

\---

Natasha is sitting on the couch, going through her mail when she hears her buzzer ring.

Looking at her phone, she sees that’s it’s late as hell and wonders who in the world is it. She thinks it might be Bucky, but he would have called first. And he has a key to the apartment anyway.

Standing up, she places the mail on the coffee table and walks towards her front door. Coming in front of the intercom, she presses the flashing button. “Who is it?” She asks and a static voice answers her.

It’s the last person she wants to hear from.

_“Romanov, is Bucky there?”_

She furrows her brows and glares at her shoes. Pressing the button again to answer him. “What do you want, brock?”

_“I just want to talk to him. I ain’t gonna do anything.”_

“Well, he isn’t here. Go home.” She takes her hand off the button, and ignores the rest of Brock’s words. She doesn’t want to deal with him right now, and she’s grateful that the omega isn’t here. Knowing Bucky, he’d probably feel bad for Brock and let him into the apartment.

She goes back to her mail and thinks about telling Bucky that Brock’s come to see him. It’s late though, and he’s probably asleep.

Her buzzer isn’t ringing anymore, and she hopes the alpha left. She’ll just tell him the next time she saw him. She didn’t want to ruin his night.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just so sd about carrie fisher ya'll but I'll try to nut out another ch for this fic by next week  
> also ayyyyye, I was gonna make their confession something more along the way, but thought nah. Fuck that. There's too much sadness rn.  
> But then I go in and bring Brock back. And yes he will be in the next chapter.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY THIS CHAPTER TOOK A LONG TIME AND IM SORRY FR THAT  
> I haven't abandoned this fic, i just forgot about it????  
> anyway here's my 3/7 valentine's day fic i wanted to update

They hadn’t done anything besides that one kiss. Bucky standing awkwardly in front of the alpha while he decided what to do now? Does he kiss Steve more? Say that he’s been a pining idiot for almost six months? That Steve’s shirt smells freshly washed and makes Bucky’s toes curl just the tiniest bit?

Thankfully, he’s spared when Steve’s cell phone rings on the counter. The blonde walking back around and answering after taking a second to look at the caller id.

“Hey. What’s up, Pepper?” He says and places his elbows against the counter while he listens to the other person talk. Bucky looks down at his feet, wondering if he should leave? Maybe call Nat and tell her what he just did. That was probably a bad call this late. Knowing her, she’d speed over here and take him back to the apartment by the back of his neck, so she could give him a proper lecture.

Steve’s eyes flicker to him every couple of seconds, in between little quips he says with the Pepper person on the phone.

“Are you sure?” He straightens up and sighs. “Okay, Well….” Steve shots him another glance. “I’ll be there in a bit. “He hangs up the phone and runs a hand over his face.

Bucky shifts his balance on the balls of his feet. “Something bad happen?”

Steve shakes his head and the hand that had run over his face goes to the back of his neck to rub at it. “No, nothing bad. Just a friend that needs some help.”

Bucky looks at the time that’s displayed on the microwave and frowns. “This late at night?”

Steve nods. “That’s Tony, though. He’s always been a night owl, but now that he’s has a baby….” Steve quiets as he realizes that Bucky doesn’t even know who Tony and Pepper are. The look that’s on the omega’s face making him realize that he’s trying to keep up.

“Sorry. You haven’t met yet, but Tony and Pepper are my friends. Best friends actually.” Steve smiles down at the counter. “Hopefully, I can introduce you to them soon.” Steve looks up and back at Bucky.

Bucky swallows the wad of saliva that was stuck under his tongue and nods. Not knowing what else to do. “Sure.”

Steve pushes off of the counter. “Well, I’m going to head over there. I won’t be long, but you can go to sleep if you want.”

Bucky sees as Steve gets his keys and starts to walk towards the front door. Bucky still left standing in-between the living room and the kitchen, before the blonde turns around quickly. “Oh! I,” he coughs a little to clear up his throat. “About that date, does tomorrow sound good? After I get home from work?”

Bucky feels his face flush and he nods. “y-yeah. Sounds like a plan.”

“Okay. Be back later.”  Steve turns the door handle and leaves the apartment.

\---

Steve puts his key into the lock for Pepper and Tony’s apartment, mood more than slightly irritated. He had just told Bucky he liked him, and the omega liked him too!

Pushing open the door he’s met with the sight of Pepper rocking Marie in the living room, with a scowl on her face. Her makeup taken off and dressed for bed. Marie isn’t crying or being fussy as far as Steve can see. But her little eyes are wide awake and she gives Steve a lopsided smile when he comes into her line of sight.

Steve ducks his head, large grin on his face as he says hi to her. She’s gotten so big.

Pepper smiles at the both of them, and hands Marie over to Steve when Steve makes grabbing gestures with his hands, that Marie happily copies.

He blows a raspberry into her chubby cheek and she squeals.

“thanks for coming over. I know it’s late, but Tony’s just….”

Steve settles the baby on his hip and gives her a sympathetic look. “In a mood?”

“Yeah.” She sighs and starts to walk towards the kitchen. “Want anything to drink? Coffee? I could make you tea?”

“a water’s fine, Peps. What’s got him all funked up?” Tony had been notorious for pull multiple all-nighters and filling his body up with caffeine, especially when they had been in college. At least the drinking has been significantly cut back on. He had been through withdrawals during his pregnancy. It hadn’t been pretty, and Steve had frequently spent the night at their apartment during those bad nights.

Pepper moves to the fridge and pulls on the handle, reaching inside and taking out two bottles of water. “I don’t know. He said that he’s fine, and to just let him work on whatever he’s doing in his office, but….”

Tony doesn’t know how to stop doing things sometimes.

“How long has he been in there?” Steve motions his head towards the direction in the apartment where Tony’s office is. Steve not bothering to move Marie’s small hands as they pat his face.

“Since yesterday morning.”

Steve sighs. “Has he eaten anything?”

“I saw half of a granola bar in his office, but I don’t know if he did while I was at work. At least I know he fed Marie, since she hasn’t been cranky and there’s a few freshly washed bottles in the sink.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to him.”

He hands Marie back to Pepper, taking a bottle of water with him.

He walks down the hallway to the side of the apartment that has Tony’s office and the guest bedroom. The door is closed, but there’s a line of light at the bottom of the door. Steve lifts his hand up and knocks against the door with his knuckles. “Tony. It’s Steve.”

There’s no answer, so Steve waits another couple of seconds before turning the knob and opening the door.

He sees Tony’s body jump up at seeing him come into the office. The omega’s hands coming up to his head to take off the headphones he had been wearing. There are some pretty severe looking dark circles under the other’s eyes and Steve frowns.

“Steve? What…” tony swallows and shoots a look towards the door. “What are you doing here? It’s…He turns his eyes down to look at the clock on the bottom of his computer screen. “It’s almost one in the morning.”

Steve walks more into the room and gently shuts the door closed behind him. “Pepper called me, because you’ve been cooped up in here for two days.”

“I…” Tony takes in a deep breath. “I’ve been working on some new models for the company.”

Steve walks over to the desk, keeping his eyes on Tony and how there seems to be a layer of confusion in his expression. As if Steve, had busted some bubble he had been in. “Can I see them?”

“Yeah…” He pulls up the designs and the rough outlines of what he’s been doing for what Steve assumes these past few days. They’re good. Really good, but Tony always did great work.

“I guess I just lost track of time.” He more of mumbles to himself, and Steve puts a hand on his shoulder. Giving it a little pressure so the omega looks up at him.

“Tony, are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Nothing bothering you?”

“No…. I don’t think so…I just.” He looks back at the work on the computer and heaves out a loud sigh. Leaning forward so his elbows are resting on the desk and he puts his face in his hands, rubbing at his sore eyes. “Fuck, I seriously just lost track of time. Is Pepper mad?”

Steve’s thumb rubs against his shoulder. “No. Just worried.”

Tony gives his face one more hard and fast rub, before moving his hand up to shut his laptop. “Yeah, I bet she was…”

Steve moves back as Tony stands up from the desk, standing in front of each other Steve wrinkles his nose. “You reek. When’s the last time you took a shower?”

Tony frowns. “don’t ask questions that you don’t want the answers to, Rogers.”

The both of them walk out of the office and Tony walks to the light in the living room. Pepper is sitting on the long sofa, Marie happily bouncing on her lap. The other alpha looks up as Steve and Tony walk into the living room and she gives Tony a tired smile. “Everything okay?”

Tony walks around the sofa and bends down to give her a quick kiss to her temple. “Yeah, babe. Sorry about making you worry. I’m going to take a shower and knock out.” Tony gives Marie a kiss too, and takes her from Pepper. The little one happily going with her dad.

Tony salutes Steve on his way out. “See you, Steve.” Steve nods in return and then turns back to Pepper where she’s still sitting down. She gives him a look of appreciation and mouths out a quiet “Thank you”.

Steve had gone back to his apartment after him and Pepper had hung out a bit. It had been around two thirty in the morning, and Bucky had gone to bed.

\---

Bucky had woken up in the morning at the noises that Steve did during his usual morning routine. The omega lying in bed, staring at the ceiling fan as he hard Steve move around the apartment. There were a few times when he swore the alpha had walked up to his door and walked away, but Bucky just stayed laying on the bed.

There was a feeling in the pit of his gut that just didn’t want to see Steve just yet. It could have either been nerves at the date that they had agreed on that night, or a wicked urge to pee. Honestly, it was a fifty-fifty chance.

He heard Steve leave the apartment and finally let out the breath that he had been holding in all morning.

He had told Steve that he liked him, and Steve had told him he had liked Bucky too.

Honestly, wild.

He felt his phone vibrate next to him on the bed, and picked it up to read the new text message.

_[Sorry about having to leave last night. See you at 7?]_

Bucky wiggled against the bed sheets, He was just wearing a pair of boxers, because he had been major hot flashes last night.

[yeah. That sounds good.]

_[okay. Dress nice_ _J ]_

Bucky mentally went over the clothes he had in the closet and tried to think of what he could use as an outfit. He hadn’t worn any of the nicer clothes that Steve had bought him, but this was probably as good a time as any to bust them out.

[k]

He put down the phone and took in a deep breath. He was nervous. The jitters in his feet were proof of that, but he was also…excited? That sounded like a solid word. He still had a good chunk of hours, before Steve got home though, so he just needed to think of what to do.

He raised a hand up from the sheets and absent mindedly rubbed at his chest. The ointment he put on before bed, helped a lot. There was almost no soreness unless he pressed deeply against them, but there were little dried flakes from some milk that had leaked out in his sleep.

He’d have to make sure to tape them up tonight.

He laid there on the bed, falling into a daze looking up at the fan. Feeling every deep breath with the spinning o the blades.

He should call Natasha.

He really didn’t want to.

He laid there in bed for another handful of minutes, before he felt his bladder screaming at him. Groaning, he hauled himself out of bed and made his way to the restroom. He wanted to take a shower too. Showers were just a great way for him to wake himself up. Plus, the water in Steve’s apartment apparently stayed warm forever.

He relieved himself and then took off his boxers to step into the shower.

The shower was nice against his shoulders, and he lathered on more shampoo than he needed.

It was quick and he felt completely at ease by the end of it. He wrapped a towel from the hooks besides the shower around his shoulders and toweled at his hair. He was about to open up the cabinet to take out the hair brush he had in there, when he heard his phone ringing from the bedroom.

He closed the door to the cabinet and walked back into the main room. The light at the back of his phone was blinking and his ringtone chirped as his phone vibrated against the sheets. He continued to towel at his hair and answered the phone, raising it to his ear.

“Hello?”

_“Bucky.”_

All the ease and relaxation he had was gone, as he tensed. “Brock?” He looked down at the phone and saw that he wasn’t calling from his cell phone. The unlisted number flashing before he lifted it back up to his ear. “Why are you calling me? The next appointment with the lawyers isn’t for another month.”

Bucky didn’t mean to sound as hostile as he was, but he really didn’t want to deal with whatever this was.

 _“I…. look. I just….”_ There was some shuffling on the other line and then Brock’s voice came back with a heavy sigh. _“Look, James. I just want to talk to you.”_

Bucky frowned and sat down on the bed. “Why?”

_“I’ve had some time to think about things since you know, your lover boy knocked me against the bricks of your apartment. Reflect on things, and I just want to …. I want us to get on better ground with each other.”_

Bucky furrowed his brows and felt that ball of nerves in the pit of his stomach again. “I’m not getting back together with you, Brock.”

_“I’m not asking you to. I just want to talk to you.”_

Bucky knew it was probably a bad idea. Probably the worst idea. But he hadn’t heard Brock use that tone of voice in almost a year. Like the alpha was actually sincere in what he was saying. “We can’t talk on the phone?”

 _“Would prefer it if we talked in person, but I’ll understand if you rather we do it on the phone.”_ It was said sadly, and Bucky started to dig his fingers into the bedding a little. He counted to ten, and took in a deep breath and let it back out.

“Fine. We can talk.”

_“You have anything planned for lunch? We could eat at the deli by south street?”_

Bucky thought about his date with Steve later, and the fact that he still hadn’t told Natasha about it. How he probably wasn’t going to tell her about this either for a while, because she would tell him to let Brock rot in a ditch for all she cared.

“Yeah, I’ll meet you there at eleven. “

_“Okay. See you soon, James.”_

_\---_

He took a cab to the deli, and lifted up the collar of his jacket against the strong wind as he walked through the door.

There was a decent amount of people, but it was easy to spot Brock at a booth. He had a plate of food in front of him, but it looked like he hadn’t touched it at all. His back was to the door, so he hadn’t seen Bucky walk in.

Bucky could leave. Stand Brock up, and not see him until the next time they met with their lawyers.

The lady at the register smiled at him a little awkwardly as he kept on standing right in front of the door. “Did you need any help, sir?”

Bucky startled a bit, and gave her a sheepish smile. “Sorry. No, I’m…” He walked up to the counter and looked up at the menu, even though he and Brock had come here about a hundred times during their time together. “I’ll order the number three combo, with a ceasar salad and a strawberry lemonade, please. “

He saw he punch in numbers into the register and gave him his total to which he handed her a ten dollar bill, and she gave him his dollar and seventeen cents in change. He was given his drink and a number for the table so they could bring him his food.

He turned around and looked at the table Brock was at again.

Taking in a dep breath, he started to walk towards it.

He saw Brock twitch as he took the seat across from him. Standing his number up at the end of the table and taking a sip of his drink, because he didn’t know what else to do.

Brock coughed and sat up a little straighter, his eyes going to Bucky’s swollen belly instantly. He stared for a second, before he dragged his eyes up to look at Bucky in the eyes. “Thanks for coming. Almost thought you weren’t going to show. Wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t, to be honest.”

Bucky frowned into his straw, not used to seeing Brock like this. At least for a very long time.

“Almost didn’t come, but I’m here. What do you want to talk about?”

Brock rubs his hands together and leans back in his seat, frowning down into his plate. “I wanted to apologize, I guess.”

Bucky gave him a dull stare. “You guess?”

“No…. I….” He shifted in his seat. “I want to apologize. For how I acted the last time we saw each other. For cheating on you.” He looked at Bucky straight in the eyes. “For being a dick in general, and being a shitty alpha to you.”

Bucky stared at him, the distrust in what the other was saying creeping up on his spine. “and what brought on this?”

Brock smirk at him, but it was slumped and a little pathetic. “maybe it was my face slamming into the side of your building? Or the fact that we’re getting divorce and I have time alone to actually think about how I’m acting?” His eyes go down towards Bucky’s stomach again. “that you’re going to have a baby, and it’s not mine. And I’m kind of happy? Because that means it won’t have a shit alpha like me as it’s dad?”

Bucky furrowed his brows and felt himself grinding his teeth at Brocks words.

The moment was broken by a server coming to their both and placing Bucky’s order in front of him, smiling as he asked if there was anything else they needed. Bucky gave the sever a forced smile and said that they were fine, and gave the beta his number for his order.

When he turned around, he saw Brock smiling at his food.

Bucky frowned. “What?”

“All the years we’ve come to this place, and you still order the same meal every time.”

Bucky rolls his eyes and picks up his fork, sticking it in his salad and taking a bite. He was starving.

Brock still hadn’t touched his plate. “Any way, I wanted to just tell you sorry. “

Bucky finished the bite he has in his mouth before speaking again. “Sorry doesn’t really cut it for all the shit you’ve put me through, Brock. You can just fuck up my life and then say sorry, because you’ve had a change of heart all of a sudden. It doesn’t work like that.” He made his voice sterner. “I don’t work that way, anymore. “

“I know. But it’s a start, isn’t it?” He looks at Bucky hopefully.

“A start to what exactly?”

“I want to see if we can come to some kind of agreeable middle ground. We used to be friends, before all of this. Before I turned into this asshole, and I want us to try and get some of that back. I don’t want us to get back together, I don’t deserve to be given that. Not anymore, but I’s like it if we didn’t hate each other so much anymore.”

Bucky stares at him as he takes another bite of his food. Each chew getting harder and harder on his mouth as he takes in Brocks words.

“Beings friends means trusting each other.”

“It does.”

“I don’t trust you, Brock. It’s going to take a lot more than an apology to make that happen.”

Brock nods, like he knew Bucky was going to say that.

“I know. That’s why I called my lawyer, and had him revise the terms of our divorce from my side.”

Bucky’s eyebrow lifted up as he continued to listen to Brock. He hadn’t gotten a call from his lawyer yet, so this must have happened recently.

“Change it to what?”

“Change it so that it grants you twenty thousand, and the divorce will be clean and simple. No red tape and unnecessary obstacles. So, that you can be a free man as soon as you want to be.”

Brock is looking at him with an open and honest expression, and Bucky can’t do more than gape at him.

“What?” He almost chokes on his salad.

“It’s the least I can do, and it’ll help you with whatever bills or whatever you need. “

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before u hate me, I have a plan for brock


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, so I'm so fucking annoyed with myself  
> because i went ahead and reread this story and my timing is all over the fucking place.  
> It's honestly the worst and I'm sorry about it  
> I just didn't catch it because of the long times in between updates and me not wanting to go back and double check timelines  
> uughghghghghhghhh  
> ANYWAY  
> this chapter took forever, i know

Bucky stares at Brock, almost wanting to get up from his seat and walk out of the deli.

“What about the pre-nup?”

Brock heaved a deep sigh and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “The pre-nup still stands, but I’m willing to revise some of the assets.”

Bucky frowned and another bite of his food. Chewing on it halfheartedly. “Like what? Everything that we owned is under your name?”

Brock frowns, obviously trying to get his point across, but Bucky suspects that he hadn’t really thought out his gesture out.

“Do you want the apartment?”

He considers it for a moment, before grimacing. “I don’t have a job. I wouldn’t be able to able to pay the bills.” His lack of a job was something that had been in the back of his mind for these last couple of months. What the fuck was he going to do when all this was over? After the baby?

Taking another bite from his food.

Would this…whatever this was with Steve even going to last that long? They were barely going to have their first date tonight.

Every day his due date just gets closer and closer.

“Plus,” He says giving Brock a dry look. “You did cheat on me there. I don’t want that kind of bad energy around me.”

“What about the car?”

Taking a sip of his drink, he furrowed his eyebrows. “The car is yours. I never even got to drive the damn thing when we were married.” They lived in the city and rarely took Brock’s car anywhere unless it was out of town.

“Do you want it, though?”

He thought about it. “Could I sell it?”

Brock frowned. “Why would you want to sell it”

Bucky sighed and put his drink down. The plastic of the cup dinging against the table top. “It’s an expensive car, and I don’t need anything that fancy.”

Not liking the idea of his car being sold, Brock crosses is arms over his chest. “I’ll think about it. We have our next meet up with the lawyers in a month, so they can help use decide on stuff.”

Bucky nods, not sure what mood to be in right now that it seemed that the conversation was over. He would think about what he would ask for if Brock was serious, but he had honestly gotten used to his life as it was now. Looking back at his former mate, Bucky what had gotten into Brock?

A thought wanders into his head.

“So, how’s Jack?”

He tries to make his tone as casual as possible, ignoring the sting in his chest at the reminder of Brock’s best friend that he had cheated on him with.

Brock’s arms tensed against his chest.

“He’s probably around. Somewhere. “

The alpha’s words were vague, and Bucky would bet money that the beta had probably cheated on Brock too. Karma’s a bitch and all that bullshit.

Though, Jack leaving Brock’s ass didn’t seem like enough to give the alpha a suddenly new view on what he had done to their relationship.

He wanted to ask, but he decided to drop it.

Brock wasn’t his alpha anymore. Whatever was wrong with him wasn’t Bucky’s problem anymore.

His small bites that he took of his food eventually made him finish his meal. Brock only eating about half of his own meal.

They didn’t discuss the divorce, or make any small talk. Just sat in the white noise of the deli and finished their food.

They leave a tip on the table and stand up to leave. The air outside is a little windy and chilly, and it makes Bucky realize that he needs a haircut with the way his bangs waft into his eyes.

The awkwardness is heavy between the both of them now that they’re alone outside. Brock shuffles on his feet, before half turning towards Bucky. “See you, Sweetheart.” It doesn’t have the usual amount of cockiness in it, but it still makes Buck frown.

He nods without looking at Brock and hears as his shoes tap against the sidewalk. When he can no longer hear the alpha, Bucky lets out a heavy sigh.

Tapping his foot rapidly on the ground, he glares at the tip of his shoe. “What the fuck, man.” He whispers to himself and ignores the look a woman throws at him as she walks by. Looking up, foot still angrily tapping the sidewalk, he keeps on talking to himself. He can just imagine how crazy he must look. Severely pregnant omega that keeps on swears outside a deli on a weekday afternoon. “What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck?” He repeats under his breath and takes out his phone.

Looking at the time, he unlocks his screen and freezes. He opens up his contacts and scrolls through his rather pathetic list, until he hovers over one name.

Thumb hovering over the screen, he hesitates, because he knew that he would have to tell her everything that’s happened.

Steeling his nerves. He tells himself that he needs to do this. He needs to call Nat.

Walking away from the spot in front of the deli, he just chooses a random direction to walk in and goes with it. Bucky had all this uneasy energy, and he needed to spend it as quickly as he could.

Growing some balls and pressing the little green telephone icon over Natasha’s name, he lifts his phone up to his ear and walks down the crowded sidewalk.

It’s a couple of dials before she answers the phone. A little out of breath and Bucky frowns at the sidewalk.

_“Hello?”_

“Please tell me you aren’t having sex, because If I’m not then you can’t. It isn’t fair.”

She laughs over the other side of the line. _“No, I’m running. What’s up?”_

He makes sure to check both ways as he crosses a street before he answers. “I need to tell you something, and you’re probably going to be mad.”

The good mood she had in her voice slowly starts to die down. _“James.”_

“And then I need to tell you something else that you’re probably going to be pissed about.”

_“I’ll meet you at the apartment. “_

_\---_

She is already there when he gets out of the uber he called and goes up to the apartment. He gently drops his keys into the bowl by the enterance of the door and walks into the kitchen and living room area. Nat is in the kitchen, drinking water and stares at him when he comes into her line of sight.

“Hey.” He tries, but she just lifts up her index finger, still drinking from her glass of water.

He waits until she finishes chugging it down, the glass clicking against the countertop as she sets it down. Her eyes go down to where her hands are gripping the edge of the counter. “So, what happened?” She is trying to sound as calm as she can, because he hasn’t told her anything yet and she is thinking of the worst. Which is probably really close to the marks, if he’s being honest.

“Do you want to hear the mad news, or the pissed news first?”

He tries to be funny, but she isn’t laughing. He clears his throat and nods. “Right.” Pulling out a chair from the table, he takes a seat, his hand automatically going for his belly. Finding comfort in how that part of his body is warmer than the rest of him.

“so… last night I might have told Steve that I had feelings for him.”

Natasha is eerily quiet.

“And he might have said that he has feelings for me, too.”

He says quickly before whatever she might say comes out of her mouth.

They are quiet for a long time and then she is putting her glass in the sink and turns on the faucet to rinse it and puts it upside down on the dish rack so it can dry.

He can smell how pissed she is, but the weird quietness is making him more nervous. “Nat….”

She puts her elbows against the counter, and runs her hands over her face roughly. She stays in that position for a while, before she speaks to him. “I told you.”

“Nat, come on.”

She stands up and Bucky clenches his jaw as she starts to gesture with her hands, the way she does when she’s pissed. “No! Don’t fucking even start! I told you that this is was a bad idea. You and Steve. You and this stupid fucking surrogate plan of yours!”

Bucky wines back, hurt by her words. “Steve’s a good guy.”

“Oh, really?” She asks, and starts to move away from the kitchen so she is pacing in between the living room and the table. “And how long have you known Steve Bucky? You’ve been in his apartment for less than a fucking week. You barely know anything, James. “

Bucky frowns and stands up so he’s more at eye level with her. “I’m not going to do the same mistakes that I made with Brock. Steve and I can get to know each other.”

Natasha snorts and rolls her eyes at him. “Yeah, right. Of course, you aren’t doing the same mistakes as you did with your technically still husband that screwed you over. No, James. You are doing completely new ones!”

He stands closer to her, shoulders stiff and posture rigid. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Nat faces off with him and the angry smile makes him almost hurt.

“In case you forgot, you are giving your baby to Steve.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty fucking hard to forget when I have a constant reminder attached to my fucking body!” He yells at her. He really didn’t mean to. Wanting it to come out as calm and together, but all this hostility between them is too unfamiliar to him and his hormones are flaring up.

“Did you also forget that you signed a contract that you would have no so say what so ever in the kid? That donor parents and surrogates can’t be in relationships, it’s seen as an abuse of power, because it complicates all of that?”

Bucky closes his mouth. He feels those tears threatening to appear, but he continues to argue even though he knows she’s right.

“I don’t care about the baby! I’ve never cared about it, so why does it even matter?”

She groans. “really?” She almost laughs. “Fine! You don’t care about it. What the fuck are you going to do when it’s born? You going to keep hanging around Steve? What is he going to think? What are you going to think then? “

“We haven’t even gone on our first date yet, Nat. Calm down with all that bullshit.” He says defensively.

“No, James. Why don’t you START thinking about all this bullshit? Because that thing,” She points at his stomach. “Is coming. Soon, so yeah think about it. You’re going to go into labor and then Steve is going to pay you thousands of dollars for it. Then you’re going to be mates? Happily, ever after?”

Bucky is full on crying now, but it doesn’t deter Natasha. She just keeps railing into him. “Do you realize this? Is it going through your mind at all?”

He puts his hand against his stomach and takes a step towards her. “Nat- “

“You don’t know, James. If all this is just because Steve actually like you or likes that you’re giving him a baby. What if all that disappears when you’re not pregnant anymore?”

His breathing is starting to get faster and he jolts and grabs at Natasha’s arms. His heartbeat is really fast, sounding in his ears, and he is holding onto the alpha.

Nat stops talking. Looking down at her best friend in the whole world and how his scent has gone from nervous to angry to horrified. It’s acid in his throat and she sees how he is shaking in her arms. “James, are- “

He isn’t looking at her, but he jolts again and his grip on her tightens. His breath bursting out from his mouth and a hurt sob clawing its way out of his throat. “I need to go to a hospital.” He says quietly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows that he’s probably going into shock from the pain that is racing through his body.

Natasha is horrified. “No, it’s too- “

Bucky looks up at her, more scared than he’s ever been in his life. Pain in his expression as another spasm hits him and he speaks through gritted teeth. “Nat, get me to a hospital right now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look, i honestly had a completely different idea for this chapter  
> but this just sort of happened  
> Hopefully ill get to update soon.  
> Send hate @jibblyuniverse on tumblr  
> @jibblyuniverse4 on twitter


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know that this chapter is going to get a lot of hate.
> 
> ====  
> irst of all, I didn't abandon my fics  
> I took a hiatus, because i was really burned out.   
> with school, work, and writing. (and a small part with fan art)
> 
> It was longer thn i thought it was i wanted it to be, but I should be writing and updating a bit more regularly now

Nat is holding his hand while their taxi driver takes them to the nearest hospital. There’s pain and his stomach feels tight like something stretching to its limit. He tries really hard not to think about the baby ripping its way out of his belly button like the Alien. He’s panting through the pain, and trying not to completely break down in hysterics.

Natasha reeks of anxiety and fear, and he bets that he does too, because it’s too soon.

They make it there, and he is hunched over gripping Nat’s hand, while they walk through the automatic doors. The employee at the front desk takes one look at them and hurries to get him a wheelchair. Bucky is trying to just keep breathing, because it _hurts_.

He can see Nat talk to the person and he thinks that he’s probably asking for his information. They start to make their way quickly after that. It’s a hospital that he’s vaguely familiar with, but he is being wheeled somewhere and that’s what’s important.

It’s a labyrinth of hallways and an elevator ride, before he’s being placed in a room and being helped into a hospital gown. The pain in his lower body is only getting worse, but he just keeps on letting in gulping breaths of air.

Natasha is rummaging through her purse, and Bucky doesn’t know why she’s across the room, when he wants her next to him. He needs something solid to grab.

She pulls out a phone and a woman in scrubs comes in and starts asking him questions. She’s a beta and the first thing she asks is if his water has broken. He scrunches up his face and tries to remember. Nat has the phone up to her ear, and then she looks at Bucky. “I’ll be back in a second.”

He feels instantly closer to panic without her in the room with him, but the beta asks him the same question.

He shakes his head and says that he doesn’t think so. 

She pulls up a rolling stool to the end of the bed and asks him if he can place his feet in the stirrups. “I need to check to see how dilated you are, okay?” Bucky groans as he lifts u his legs and drops his head to the bed. He feels some poking and then the cold air that had been at his ass disappears.

The next thing she asks him to do is to lay on his side on the bed. He frowns, and wants to complain, but another wave of pain makes him grit his teeth. He does as she says and then Nat is coming back into the room with another person with scrubs.

His hands have gloves on them, and he has a metal tray with him that Bucky can’t tell what’s on it from his angle on the bed. He asks the beta something, but Bucky doesn’t catch it, because Nat pulls up one of the chairs from against the wall and places it besides the bed. He instantly reaches out to her, and she takes his hand in hers.

“Where did you go?” He asks.

“I called Steve to tell him what happened.” Her face is pale and Bucky notices that the phone she’s holding in her hand is his. “He’s on his way.”

All he can do is nod.

Okay, Mr. Rumlow,” Bucky frowns and corrects the new person. “Call me Barnes, please.”

The man nods and restarts. “Okay, Mr. Barnes. So, the good news is that your contractions are far enough apart and you are not very dilated. We can give you an injection and it should stop the contractions. Is that alright?”

He nods frantically, and then the tray that the man had brought into the room comes closer to his view. There’s a few different vials and a needle.

===

Steve is asking his cab driver if he can go any faster, to which the man in front just gestures to the traffic in front of them. “If you know a way to get around this traffic, be my guest.” It’s sarcastic and unnecessary.

The alpha tries very hard not to kick the seat in front of him. He’s almost tempted to just get out and start jogging to the hospital, and he would have if his conversation with Natasha wasn’t in the back of his mind.

_He’s eating a late lunch and sitting across from both Pepper and Tony. Marie still in daycare for the time being. Pepper is the one to lean forward and smile into her hands. “So, any chance of us seeing your new apartment yet? It should be done by now, right?”_

_Tony is scrolling through his phone, but he’s gently leaning against Pepper’s side. The alpha content to let her omega rub against her._

_Steve smiles into his drink. “You’ve already seen it, Pepper.”_

_She playfully rolls her eyes. “Empty and half way renovated. I want to see how it looks like with all your furniture. Your personal touches and what not.”_

_Tony nods next to his mate, still looking at his phone screen. “We also have a lot of baby stuff from Marie if you want them. Finished setting up the baby’s room?”_

_Steve shakes his head. “No, I have everything. I just am too lazy to take everything out of its packaging and arrange it.”_

_Pepper smiles and leans back in her chair. “All the more reason for us to come over. We can help set it up.”_

_Tony’s eyes finally leave the screen and he raises an eyebrow. “I think the real reason Steve hasn’t had us over is because a certain someone is currently staying with him.”_

_Pepper raises her own eyebrow. “Your surrogate? What about him?”_

_Tony uses a sing song voice. “Steve has a crush.”_

_Pepper frowns at this, while Steve tries to suppress his smile. He takes another bite of his food, but when he looks back up, he sees that Pepper still has that look on her face. “Is something wrong?”_

_She has this uncomfortable look on her face, and readjusts herself in her seat. “Steve, you know…I know that you are a very nice person, and that you’re finally getting a family…”_

_Steve’s happy mood is slowly starting to die down. “But?”_

_She gives him a look. Almost like she doesn’t want him to make her say want she’s about to say._

_“But having feelings for your surrogate?”_

_It’s Steve’s turn to frown and he sees that Tony’s completely ignoring his phone now. “Bucky is- “He starts, but Pepper just lifts her hand so that she can speak again._

_“Before you say anything, I want you to really think about this situation, Steve. Why is Bucky in your life in the first place? And didn’t you say he was in the middle of a divorce or something?”_

_Steve listens to her and there’s something in the back of his mind that he can’t quite place. He feels his pocket vibrate and reaches into his pocket. Tony whispers something into Pepper’s ear, as Steve sees the caller id says it’s Bucky._

_Speak of the devil, is the phrase that comes to mind._

_He wonders if Bucky is calling to ask about later._

_Lifting the phone up to his ear, he presses answers. “Hey, Bucky? What’s up?”_

_[Steve, it’s Natasha. I’m at the hospital with James.]_

_===_

It’s been thirty minutes since they gave him the injection and the pain in his center is almost completely numb. They moved him into another room with an actual hospital bed, and let him change back into his regular clothes.

Doctor Banner was also here.

The surrogate agency was contacted and had sent over Banner in case of any emergency.

Natasha was beside him the entire time, holding his hand and whispering that she was sorry into his knuckles. His head was so full of cotton and everything around him was shiny, that he had no idea what she was apologizing for.

He is currently hooked up to an ultrasound machine when Steve comes through the door. The tall alpha reeks of anxiety and the stench makes Bucky groan and turn his head towards Nat. The scent not mixing well with the drugs.

Steve takes a look around the room and Doctor Banner gives him a nod. “Hello, Mr. Rogers. Do you want to have a seat?”

Steve turns to look at Bucky and Natasha on the medical bed, and there’s a noise that escapes his throat.

“The….is the baby okay?”

Banner urges him to have a seat, and Steve pulls the last one that was against the wall.  Pulling it in between Natasha and Banner.

“Well, the good news is that we were able to stop the baby from coming. And if Mr. Barnes had gotten here any later, then he may have had to get a C-section.”

Steve looks at Bucky, worry heavy on his face. “Buck…are you okay?”

The omega nods and just keeps his firm grip on Natasha. She’s his rock, right now.

“The other good news is that the baby seems to be doing okay, as well. Though we need to try and figure out why this early labor was triggered?”

Steve looks towards Natasha, seeing as Bucky is barely lucid enough to keep his head up off the bed.

The red headed alpha has been on edge since Bucky’s scent turned sour in her apartment, but she takes in a deep breath. “We were arguing, and things got pretty heated.” She saw how Steve’s face pinched and she thinks that the other alpha is barely keeping himself from asking what they were fighting about.

Doctor Banner sighs and takes off his glasses to rub at the bridge of his nose. “Usually, when this happens, it has a high chance of happening again. So, whatever made you two fight was stressful enough to make him go into early labor.” Banner stares at Nat. “Do you think that you guys will be able to either remove the problem or avoid the subject until his due date in two months?”

Nat shoots a look at Steve, and the alpha gets a clammy feeling in his hands and the bottom of his gut.

“We’ll try.”

Sighing again, Banner nods. “I guess that’s the best I can ask for. If this happens again, the chances of him going into delivery early are pretty high.” Banner looks at Steve now. “And the earlier the delivery, the more likely for unexpected complications with the baby.”

===

Banner stays at the hospital to monitor Bucky for the rest of the day, but at ten, he gives the go ahead on him going home.

“Try not to get into anymore stressful situations, okay?”  He says as he walks out of the room.

The drugs are out of his system and Bucky feels sore in very uncomfortable places. The nurse gives him a reassuring smile and says that a lot of his muscles had tightened and stretched, because it thought he was going to have the baby already.

Natasha is still sitting beside him, but Steve has moved his chair back against the wall.

It’s quiet as Bucky changes into the clothes he had had on before he had changed into the hospital gown. Nat helping him and keeping physical contact with him. Steve is looking at them, and since it’s just the three of them in the room now, he finally asks what’s been on his mind for the last couple of hours.

“What was the argument about?”

Bucky stills a second and looks towards the blonde alpha. Natasha is looking at Steve and starts talking. “Do you like James?”

Steve feels a little pinned down by the other alpha’s stare, and how Bucky is avoiding looking in his direction. “I do.”

Nat seems to have known that he was going to say that, and follows it up with another question. “Because he’s having your baby?”

Steve opens his mouth to say, ‘of course not’, but he hesitates. Nat sees him pause and he sees the line of Bucky’s shoulders tense. “I’m not going to say that that isn’t a big factor in it…” He says rather weakly.

She nods and looks up at the omega in his arms. He still isn’t looking at Steve, but she leans into his ear to whisper something. He winces and then looks at her face. She is giving him a stern look and then he gives her a short nod.

Turning back to Steve, Natasha sighs.

“Look, Steve. You seem like a good guy. Really, you do. And right now, you like James, and he likes you.”

Steve looks up and Bucky, but the omega is slightly leaning his forehead on Nat’s shoulder.

“He’s almost nine months pregnant with your baby. That he’s going to have to hand over to you via the contract we all signed with the surrogate agency. This attraction that you two have is understandable, but for the next one and a half months, it’s seen as basically an abuse of power.” She says straight forward and Steve remembers what Pepper was telling him earlier today.

He knows that there is truth in what they’re saying, but he keeps on looking at the brunette in the other alpha’s arms. “Buck?”

He finally looks at Steve and Steve swallows a lump in his throat as he sees that the omega’s eyes are a bit red rimmed. “Nat’s right, Steve.” He raises his wrist up to wipe the corner of his eyes and then keeps on talking. “I like you. Fuck…. I like you a hell of a lot, but all of this is just a lot. I’m still technically married. My body’s hormones are jumping from every wall inside my body and…You’re just…You’re really great.”

“And you are paying me to have your baby.” He says finally and Steve feels his chest ache with the heartbroken look in Bucky’s face.

“Buck, if that’s what’s bothering you I can just…we can go to the agency and- “

Bucky shakes his head and Steve sees how he reaches out a hand for Natasha to hold. “I don’t want kids, Steve. Not yet at least.”

Steve’s mouth shuts and he is at a loss for words.

“My life is pretty much shit, right now. I’m not ready to have to take care of something that is going to depend on me twenty-four seven.” Bucky’s voice is trembling a bit, and Nat gently runs a hand up and down his spine.

He places a hand on his swollen belly and continues. “I don’t know what will happen when I have this baby. I know that it’ll be ours, but I don’t know…. I don’t know how **I’ll** be.”

Steve stands up and takes a step towards the both of them. He sees the way Nat positions herself a little bit in front of the omega. “So…what does that mean for us? I’m not lying, Buck. I like you.”

Bucky is looking at his face, and there’s so much swirling around in those light grey eyes that Steve can’t even imagine the feeling running through him. His scent is no clearer.

“I don’t know….”

Nat speaks up then, something that makes both Steve and Bucky look at her.

“I…I think that after everything happens.” She gestures to Bucky’s stomach and Steve. “After the baby, and after you get divorced,” she looks at James. “I think that maybe you two should try to get to know each other.”

They both stare at her, and Steve sees how Bucky open and closes his mouth a couple of times, before he turns his head and looks at Steve.

===

Steve is standing in the elevator by himself, keys dangling in his hands and not able to feel the bottom of his feet. The robotic voice chimes that he’s reached the floor he pressed and opens up or him. Tony is standing on the other side of the doors and frowns at him.

“you look like you need a glass.” The omega says, and offers his hand for the blonde to take.

Steve grabs it and doesn’t expect for the yank that Tony gives his hand and tumbles into the shorter man. His head is awkwardly positioned against his shoulder, before he feels Tony wrap his hands around him.

“It’s going to be okay, Steve.”

Steve takes in a deep breath, taking in Tony’s mated omega smell and finding comfort in it. He wraps his own arms around him and buries his forehead against his shorter.

“Did he have the baby?” Tony asks quietly.

“No.”

There’s a humming from Tony. “What happened then? Why did you ask us if you could spend the night?”

Steve is quiet for a beat and then answers him. “Bucky is moving out of my apartment. He’s taking his stuff tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> our boy almost had a premature baby   
> scary shit  
> I have an idea of where i want this story to go, but it isn't concrete and I didn't think I would actually write something like this chapter when I strted  
> I knew that this wasn't going to be a fluff filled story and I plan to write more difficult issues for our two boys  
> but it just formed into this.   
> I'm thinking that Bucky's going to have the baby in probably the next two chapters.   
> I am also thinking about wheather or not I should cut it off after the birth and start a sequel   
> or just continue with adding chapters to this fic.   
> Comment on what you guys want.   
> if it's a two parter, then this first part maybe has about three chapters left


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a long time  
> just to let you know.   
> this is the last chapter for this fic  
> ====  
> tumblr @jibblyuniverse  
> Twitter @jibblyuniverse4  
> ig @jibblyuniverse

He doesn’t know how long he’s been sitting down in the tub, but the water is still warm. So probably not that long, when he hears Nat lock the front door. That was the last of his stuff from Steve’s apartment. Clint had come by and helped them take his stuff out. Both of them tell him that he isn’t allowed to carry anything moderately heavy.

Their protective scents had flared up around him like a blanket, while he looked at them take his belongings in boxes to Nat’s car.

The water is filled up to just under his chest, and he leans his back against the rim, staring at his stomach. The fear from the hospital was still there, thrumming under his skin. But there was also something else. He takes both of his hands and presses them against his stomach.

His mouth opening to let out a pained huff, his fingertips turning white from the pressure.

It’s shimmering in his blood.

He digs his nails into the skin of his belly, and feels his chest rise and fall quickly.

‘I hate you…’

The thought is so jarring that he immediately yanks his hands off of himself as if he’s been burned. Eyes staring at the way the water’s sloshing against his skin and the edges of the tub. There’s so much anger and helplessness in him at the moment, that its suffocating.

Placing his hands on the tub, he starts to stand. Water sliding off his body, while he gets out. Unplugging the drain, he watches as the water sinks into that small black hole. The swirling motion hypnotizing him, as he realizes that he hates himself in that moment.

“this is a mistake. All of it.” He whispers to himself.

\---

It’s been two weeks since he almost gave birth and left Steve’s apartment. This time when he meets up with the divorce lawyers, it goes by excruciatingly slow.

Natasha couldn’t be there with him, but he told her that it was fine.

Brock is sitting across the table from him, his lawyer chewing him out about all of the changes in the terms. The alpha is frustrated, but hasn’t said a bad thing about his future ex-husband since their little talk in the deli.

Bucky’s side of the table being mostly calm and quiet as Brock’s lawyers are ready to storm out of the room. Money, the car, and whatever other support that the omega might need. “Just give him whatever he wants.” Is what Brock had said, to which Bucky had looked away.

He had already told Brock that he didn’t want anything, to which the alpha had said fine and given him almost half of everything. “It’s fair in my eyes that I give you half of what we had, James.”

Bucky had stared at him and saw how different he looked now than only a couple of months ago.

The meeting had finished, and he was surprised when Brock had stepped into the elevator with him on the way down. Both of them keeping their eyes on the doors, until they were about half way down.

“Are you okay?”

Bucky turned to look at him. “What?”

The alpha still looking straight, but his body was angled towards him. “I heard that you went to the hospital. Just wanted to make sure nothing bad had happened.”

Bucky’s throat tightened. Natasha wouldn’t tell Brock. “How did you find out I went to the hospital?”

Brock finally looked at him.  “I’m still your emergency contact number.”

The hospital had been familiar to him, even in his pained state. “Shield Hospital…. right….” It was Brock’s family hospital.

Brock was looking at him still, and Bucky shuffled on his feet. “I’m holding up alright.” It’s said quietly, and that’s the last thing that’s said between them that day.

\---

Where his chest had ached before, milking dripping out. Now, he whimpered anytime something brushed against his chest. The closer he got to his due date, the more times he opted to lather the ointment he had initially gotten for his chest on himself and walk Natasha’s apartment in his boxers.

The alpha laughing at his uncomfortable face, whenever he would pass her on his way to the kitchen.

Then on the days where his chest wasn’t burning, and he was walking up and down Nat’s apartment in boredom. He was asleep most of the time.

He was in a constant state of exhaustion, sometimes.

His feet would swell up and legs were shaky.

Passing out on his bed was the only thing that appealed to him, until about 4 in the morning when he was starving.

All of these pains and aches amplifying in his last couple of weeks, it seemed.

He did everything he could not to think about the blonde, and the pain helped a bit.

The days when he didn’t have pain were the hardest not to call Steve.

\---

Natasha was the one who would contact Steve to give him updates. Never in front of Bucky, but he still knew whenever she did none the less. Her face guilty and her scent bland.

The month apart was lonely, but it went by too fast.

His due date was only a few days away.

\---

Bucky was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and feeling the deep ache in his lower back. Everything hurt him now. He couldn’t get out of bed for more than a few minutes at a time, and that sucked even more.

The baby would kick him in the bladder to remind him that it was still there, inside him.

Like it was doing now.

The omega grits his teeth when a particularly hard kick made him wince. He had refused to name the baby. He ran his fingers over his stomach and felt nothing. It was early or late, depending on how you looked at the clock. 3am.

He couldn’t sleep, but didn’t want to wake Nat up. She had to get ready for work in two hours, and she had been working late. She had told him that she was working so much, so she could take care of him after he gets out of the hospital.

After he has the baby.

After he gives it to Steve.

“I’m such a fucking idiot.” He says quietly to himself.

This month has been hell, but Natasha was right about having him step away from Steve. Without the blonde alpha there to surround him with that warm scent of affection, he could see what he had signed himself up for clearly for the first time.

He had sold his body for money. Not in the way that sugar babies, or prostitutes did, but he supposes it’s not all that different really. He’s making a baby that he doesn’t want, has no connection to, and giving it to a Stranger.

At first, he had thought it was his hormones, but as time goes by, he thinks that he might hate himself for putting himself through this. All the emotional stress this whole ordeal has put him through, and when he thinks of Steve, it just gets worse.

His time apart has cleared some of the puppy love, but what if that’s true about Steve too?

Now that he isn’t at the alpha’s home, scenting objects with the smell of pregnancy, is Steve realizing that it’s all just about the baby? And by some miracle, Steve does still like him after he hands over the baby, what the hell kind of relationship is that going to be like?

Bucky had already told Steve that he didn’t want kids, and he had meant it.

And he had seen how that telling Steve that had made the alpha hesitate.

Kids obviously mean a lot to Steve is he was willing to pay someone to have one, so where would that leave himself?

Right now? Miserable.

A pebble of milk drips out of his left nipple and he wants to die. They hurt so much, and it’s not even morning yet. He huffs to himself and tries to get comfortable. Maybe he can go back to sleep, and stay asleep forever.

Turning onto his side, he tucks a pillow behind his back and in-between his legs to try and do just that, when he grits his teeth. He cramps up for a second, and it shoots up his spine.

Growling quietly to himself, he shoves his face in the blankets and tries to ignore it.

That works for about ten minutes before it happens again, and this time the growl turns into a whimper.

Breathing heavily into the bed, he frowns. “Ow…” Eyes turning to the door, Bucky debates on whether or not standing up is a good idea. Untucking the pillow from his legs, he is about to step of the bed, when another one hits him. This time worse, so he is digging his nails into the bedding. He’s gritting his teeth, when the door to his room opens.

Natasha steps inside, hair a mess, and eyes still dazed with sleep, but scent worried. “What’s wrong?”

The omega’s touched, really, he is, but all that’s on his mind is-

“I think it’s happening.”

The sleep clears from her eyes in an instant and she’s running around his room. “Oh! Shit! Okay, so um… Your,” She turns towards him as he is finally able to step up off the bed. “Has your water broke?”

Bucky turns towards the bed to check to see that he hadn’t wet himself. “No.”

“Okay! Great, so….” She is rummaging through his drawers and stuffing things into his duffel bag. The bag already had travel sized toiletries, been partially packed.

“Nat, I need to go to the hospital.” He says calmly, as he sees her repacking him six pairs of underwear. The pain is now thrumming at the base of his spine.

“Right! Yeah! I’m gonna-shit, I can’t believe it’s already happening.” She’s excited, and if another pang o pain hadn’t hit him, he would laugh at her. There’s the sound of water dripping, and they both look at the floor.

“I think my water just broke….” He groans out.

Nat is running for her car keys.

\---

He was wheeled in by Clint, the blonde having spent the night at Nat’s and was the “Calm” one in this situation. Bucky guesses that the last time they were here was lingering in Natasha’s mind, because the alpha was skittish as he was admitted into the hospital.

The beta nurse in the front seemed friendly enough, but he was clawing at the hand rests to really remember.

“Dr. Banner is already here, so we just need to get you prepped for surgery. Okay, Mr. Barnes?” She smiles with pretty perfectly aligned white teeth, and Bucky wants nothing more than to yell at her. “Fantastic.” He grits out.

The pain is so much worse than when they had left the apartment, and he needs help getting out of the wheelchair when they are escorted to their room for him to change into a hospital gown.

The material is papery and scratches his skin so much, he feels like he’s going to get a rash. Natasha is standing, pacing, and basically a nervous wreck, while Clint is sitting down on the only chair. Bucky is growling as he paces along the length of the room, hands cradling his spine that feels like it’s about to crack in two. “Where the fuck is Banner?”

There’s a knock on the door, and the doctor steps in, smile on his face. Bucky can’t stand his smile either.

“It’s about time! Can you please get this thing out of me?” His scent is acidic with pain and hormones.

Banner, god bless him, just continues to smile. “Nice to see you, Mr. Barnes. I take it, you’re ready to deliver this baby? We’ve got the room ready, just need to see how you were doing first, so we can start.”

Bucky laughs. “Me? Oh, I’m fantastic! The pinnacle of happiness right now, Doc.”

Clint snickers, and Nat gives him a bland look. “James, behave.” She scolds him, to which he gives her the finger. Another contraction hits, and Clint is unfortunate enough to be in arm’s reach. The blonde yelps as Bucky grabs onto his shoulder.

“Ah!”

“Well, I’ll go ahead and tell the nurses to give you the anesthesia, so we can go ahead with the C-section. I’ll see you in a bit.”

\---

_It’s soft and hazy everywhere he turns, and it feels amazing._

_He’s laying down in a body of water, body light as air. The lights here are weird. The sounds are far away, and he’s relaxed. He tries to think about the last time he’s ever felt this at peace, but his head is full of cotton._

_The lights are still above him. High high high up in the above._

_The water doesn’t feel cold, it’s warming his body._

_There are more sounds and he turns his head, as the muffling turns into splashing._

_There’s feet besides his head in the water, and he looks up. The light is too bright at first. Nothing but the outline of a person, till hey kneel down beside him._

_Bucky can’t smell anything here, in this soft place, but he smiles as the person becomes clear._

_“Hey, handsome.”_

_The person laughs at him. “God, you’re high as a kite, aren’t you?”_

_Bucky looks at the way that little crinkle folds in between the alpha’s eyebrows. “Still handsome.”_

_Bucky sighs and turns his head back up at those bright lights. “I feel good.”_

_“I bet.”_

_“Lay down with me.” Bucky smiles, but Steve shakes his head._

_“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” There’s a laugh in it, and the sound makes Bucky feel good too._

_Steve is looking down at him for a long time, and Bucky feels his eyes closing every few seconds. “I’m tired. Want to go to sleep.”_

_There’s a worried look on Steve’s face now, but then there’s a muffled voice coming from all around him. It’s saying something, that he doesn’t understand, and he doesn’t care. Sleeping sounds like the best idea he’s had in long time._

_“hey, Buck. Come on, try to stay awake okay?” Steve is closer now, his face soft, just like everything else in this place. His eyes look sad, and Bucky doesn’t like it._

_“I’m tired, Steve.”_

_The words make the blonde frown, “I know, you’re doing so good, Buck. You gotta try to stay awake though, okay?”_

_A whine slips out of his throat, and he feels himself sinking further into the water. “Tired…”_

_“Buck, please. Come on.”_

_Bucky hers as Steve’s voice gets farther and farther away, until he’s completely under the water._

_\---_

Steve watches as Bucky’s eyes close, and his heartbeat gets faster. “Buck.” He tries again, but the omega doesn’t budge. He is starting to panic that something’s wrong, but Banner is taking to him now.

“Take it easy there, Mr. Rogers. He’ll be fine.” The doctor is on the other side of a privacy shield that keeps the omega’s lower half from Steve’s view. That doesn’t block out the heavy scent of blood in the air.

Male omegas had to get C-sections, because they had nowhere to push the babies out. He knew this, but seeing Bucky on an operating table, while he had to keep his distance was nerve whacking. Occasionally there was the sounds of something slimy hitting the metal bow that was besides Banner and his team, and Steve tried not to think about what was in it.

He was fully scrubbed up, and sterilized to wait for Dr. Banner to hand over his baby.

He had gotten a phone call at 3:45 in the morning from a guy using Natasha’s phone.

_[“Uh hey, this is Clint. That’s not really important, but Nat can’t talk cause she’s driving but- “_

_“Fucking hell!”_

_“Anyway, she told me to call you and let you know that James is going into labor. So, we’ll be at Shield hospital. Okay.”]_

_Tony and Pepper had seen him rushing around their apartment trying to get ready. Pepper yawning and handing Marie over to Toy, who cooed at the agitated baby. “I’ll drive.” Pepper said and grabbed her keys._

Bucky was already rolling into the operating room, when he got there. The nurses making him sign some papers, and change into scrubs I he wanted to be present when the baby was delivered.

Now he was trying his best to stay where he was. Bucky going unconscious, but nobody seemed to be panicking. So, he guessed that it was okay.

There were more noises, and minutes felt like hours as the room continued to fill with the scent of the omega’s blood.

His nails were digging into the palm of his hand, and just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, it happened.

There was crying and screaming coming from the other side of the privacy shield. Banner’s body dipped down and asked for a towel. Steve felt his entire body freeze and then zero in on the towel that was wiping away the blood from the wailing bundle.

Banner turned so that he could hand it to one of the nurses, and Steve was about to bare his teeth, when she started walking towards him. Steve held his breath as the nurse stepped up to him. “Congratulations, Mr. Rogers.” Banner said from where he was putting Bucky back together again, the omega’s heartbeat nice and steady on the monitors. “It’s a baby girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this fic has been something. I've been writing it for almost 4 years know i think. and i think the majority of you guys wanted me to break it off into this part and a sequel.   
> So that's what i'm gonna do  
> I can't promise regular updates, because i am in the dental program in school rn and i literally have no time to do anything but study.   
> I will give you guys a sequel that follows up this chapter, though.   
> Part 2 will be called "The clock is going backwards" And it'll be better structurally than this fic. Like I said, I have been writing tttgmb for almost 4 years and my writing style has changed a lot since i started this.   
> I'm really grateful for all of you who are still reading my fics and stayed with me through my irregular updates. 
> 
> Part 2, i you can tell by the hints i've been writing in these last few chapters, is not going to be instantly fluff.   
> Let's get real here.  
> Bucky and Steve are dealing with a lot, and a baby is only going to complicate it further.  
> As requested, i am going to focus more on Steve in part 2 than i did in Part 1, so we have a bettter look in his head. 
> 
> I'll try to let you guys know about part 2 as soon as i can  
> I'll usually post it on my tumble first (@jibblyuniverse)  
> or on my instagram, where i do my fic edits, (@jibblyuniverse) so if you want to message me through them, i'll go ahead and try to be prompt with my answers

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always a slut for kudos and comments  
> Plus, they motivate me to update faster


End file.
